Stent supported coronary angioplasty in patients with severe ventricular dysfunction

Objective To assess the immediate- and long-term outcomes of stent supported coronary angioplasty in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction. Methods Seventy-four consecutive patients with angiographic left ventricular ejection fractions less than or equal to 40% underwent percutaneous coronary angioplasty, including 61 (81 %) with stent back-up. Clinical follow-up (29.1 +/- 22.9 months) data were obtained in all clinically successful patients. Results Angiographic success was achieved in 120 (89.5%) of 134 lesions. Clinical success was obtained in 66 (89.2%) patients with 1.4% procedure related mortality, 2.7% myocardial infarction and zero need of emergent bypass surgery. NYHA class reduction greater than or equal to 1 was seen in 29 (73%) of 40 successfully treated congestive heart failure patients at 6 months after the procedure. During long-term follow-up, 58 (87.9%) of 66 patients with clinical success were alive, including 44 (68.6%) free from cardiac events. Conclusions Patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction treated with stent supported PTCA experience a high rate of success, low procedure related mortality and satisfactory long-term survival.