ABSTRACT
The use of thrombolytic therapy has revolutionized the
medical management of patients with acute myocardial
infarction (AMI), increasing survival and preserving left
ventricular function. Despite these beneficial effects of
fibrinolytic therapy, many limitations exist, such as high
rates of persistent occluded vessel, recurrent ischemia,
intracranial bleeding, and contraindications preventing its
use. To improve these deficiencies, several strategies of
myocardial reperfusion have emerged. The efficacy of
primary angioplasty (mechanical reperfusion without
prior thrombolysis) has been widely evaluated, and in
the last years other strategies, such as early rescue
angioplasty (angioplasty for failed thrombolysis) and
facilitated primary angioplasty (pharmacological reperfu-
sion before angioplasty) have became an area of intense
investigation.
