ABSTRACT
Percutaneous coronary intervention is related to coronary thrombosis in two different ways: preexisting (primary) clot is fragmented and removed by PCI (primary PCI in STsegment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI), PCI in unstable angina pectoris/non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE ACS)) or a new (secondary) clot originates as an early or late complication of the procedure. The primary clot occurs naturally on unstable atherosclerotic plaque and PCI accompanied by adjunctive pharmacotherapy is the most effective treatment for such clots. The secondary clot occurs in an artery with originally stable plaque, which was dilated by PCI and thus its endothelial surface was mechanically disrupted and became thrombogenic.
