title: Assessment of clopidogrel on the left ventricular ejection fraction in acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction heart failure is one of the causes of morbidity and mortality following ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study was done to determine the clopidogrel effect in preventing reduced LV function in patients with STEMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 144 patients with STEMI admitted to the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences hospitals were followed in two groups for one month. The case group received Clopidogrel, 300 mg, on admission and then, 75 mg daily, while the control group received routine therapy for STEMI without Clopidogrel. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on the 4(th) day and one month after STEMI was measured by echocardiography. The results of LVEF were compared within and between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean LVEF in the case group on the 4(th) day and one month after STEMI were 45.92 and 52.15%, respectively (P<0.001). The mean LVEF in the control group on 4(th) day and one month after STEMI were 44.72 and 42.71%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that Clopidogrel is effective in prevention of LVEF reduction in patients with STEMI.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Resident, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Pejman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shemirani
authors.forename: Behnoud
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hedayatpour
authors.forename: Allahyar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golabchi