Experience and Outcomes of Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in a Tertiary Care Hospital in South Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

BACKGROUND Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the emergency procedure and gold standard for the treatment of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). OBJECTIVE To share the experience and outcomes of primary PCI in a tertiary care hospital in South Punjab, Pakistan. METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional study was planned from the 1st of April, 2023 to the 30th of September, 2023. All patients presenting with acute STEMI undergoing primary PCI were included in the study. Data regarding patient demographics, risk factors, procedural characteristics, time variables, and in-hospital events was observed. RESULTS A total of 1132 patients were included in the study. There were 934 (82.5%) males. Smoking is the most common risk factor among all the patients. Anterior wall myocardial infarction is the most common STEMI and the left anterior descending artery is the culprit vessel in 58.3% (n=660) of patients. Single vessel disease was present in 34.6% (n=392) of the patients. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI )Flow III was achieved in 80% (n=906) of patients after primary PCI. The average total ischemic time of the patients included in the study was 5 hours and 48 minutes, with a standard deviation of 3 hours and 55 minutes. Our mortality was 3.5% (n=40). CONCLUSION Our patients take a longer time to present to the PCI-capable centers. Despite their late presentation, primary PCI has better outcomes for treating acute STEMI.