Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation improves survival in cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction

The impact of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) onsurvival of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI)complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) has been evaluated inthis study of 85 patients. IABC was available for the 24 groupA patients (and used in 20 patients). IABC was not availablefor the 21 group B patients who presented simultaneously withsimilar clinical characteristics and received identical pharmacologicaltreatment. In-hospital and one year survival was significantlyhigher in group A (46% and 38% vs 19% and 10%, P <0·001).Sixteen out of the 20 (group Al) IABC patients received earlycoronary revascularization. During 1980–1984, 35 patients with AMI and CS receivedIABC (group C) but none underwent early revascularization. Therewas no difference in in-hospital or one-year survival betweengroup AI (50% and 40%) and group C (45% and 40%). We concludethat early IABC improves survival of patients with AMI complicatedby CS.