Early discharge after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
To assess safety of early discharge following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).


RESULTS
Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 2448 STEMI patients treated with PPCI surviving to hospital discharge. Post-discharge all-cause mortality was reported at 1, 7, and 30 days and long-term follow up. A total of 1542 patients (63.0%) were discharged within 2 days of admission (early discharge group) and 906 patients (37.0%) after 2 days (late discharge group). In both groups, no deaths were recorded 1 day post discharge. The early and late discharge group mortality figures for 7 days were 0 and 4 patients (0.04%) and between 7 and 30 days were 11 (0.7%) and 11 patients (1.2%), respectively. During a mean follow up of 584 days, 178 patients (7.3%) died: 67 in the early discharge group (4.3%) and 111 in the late discharge group (12.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
This exploratory, observational study demonstrates that discharging low-risk STEMI patients within 2 days following PPCI is safe. For providers of health care, early discharge can help to allay the cost of providing a 24-hour PPCI service and adds to the recognized benefits arising from PPCI.
Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.
Awsan
A
Noman
Azfar G
AG
Zaman
Clyde
C
Schechter
Karthik
K
Balasubramaniam
Rajiv
R
Das
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
Mortality; myocardial infarction; primary angioplasty