A randomized comparison of intra-aortic balloon pumping after primary coronary angioplasty in high risk patients with acute myocardial infarction

Aims Intra-aortic balloon pumping reduces afterload and may be effective in improving reperfusion in high risk infarct patients treated with primary angioplasty. Methods High risk infarct patients referred from other centres for primary PTCA were randomized to treatment with or without an intra-aortic balloon pump. The primary end-point consisted of the combination of death, non-fatal reinfarction, stroke or an ejection fraction