title: Cardiac catheterization after an acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: An important question facing the profession each and every day is whether to recommend cardiac catheterization to a patient who has just had an acute myocardial infarction. Criteria have been proposed and ongoing studies are helping to establish guidelines to determine which survivors of an uncomplicated myocardial infarction can benefit from a knowledge of the coronary anatomy and ventricular function. In the case presented in this vignette the problem is related to angina recurring during the early stages of an acute myocardial infarction. Postinfarction angina often reflects subtotal obstruction of a major coronary artery that supplies either a portion of the myocardium that had infarcted or myocardium distant from the zone of the infarction. This is a high-risk group. Here the criteria are firmly established. Coronary angiography should be performed promptly to help determine whether coronary artery bypass surgery or balloon angioplasty is indicated.
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery