Long-term effects of invasive treatment in patients with a post-thrombolytic Q-wave myocardial infarction.

Objectives. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a deferred invasive treatment strategy on long-term outcome in patients with a post-thrombolytic Q-wave myocardial infarction and inducible myocardial ischemia. Design. Patients (N=751) with post-thrombolytic Q-wave myocardial infarction and inducible ischemia (angina pectoris or silent myocardial ischemia) were randomized to a deferred invasive treatment (balloon angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery) or medical treatment. Vital status and non-fatal cardiac events defined as hospitalization caused by acute cardiac events were recorded for a median of 11.4 years. Results. Survival was significantly improved in patients receiving invasive treatment compared to patients treated medically (hazard ratio 0.85 (95% confidence limits 0.73–0.99), p=0.034). Subgroup analysis showed a reduction of non-fatal cardiac events and improved survival among the patients with post-infarction angina pectoris and not among the patients with silent myocardial ischemia. Conclusions. A deferred invasive treatment strategy improves survival compared to medical treatment in patients with inducible myocardial ischemia after a post-thrombolytic Q-wave myocardial infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]