Reperfusion strategies

Reperfusion strategies

Reperfusion strategies

On this page

Reperfusion 101 - Race Against Time

  • Goal: Rapidly restore coronary blood flow; "Time is muscle."
  • Primary PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention): Preferred method.
    • Angioplasty ± stent.
    • Door-to-balloon time goal: < 90 minutes.
  • Thrombolysis (Fibrinolysis): Use if PCI is delayed (> 120 min).
    • Agents: Alteplase (tPA), Tenecteplase.
    • Door-to-needle time goal: < 30 minutes.
    • ⚠️ Major risk: Bleeding. Screen for contraindications.

Angioplasty with stent placement in coronary artery

⭐ If transfer time to a PCI-capable hospital is > 120 minutes, initiate thrombolysis at the presenting non-PCI facility before transfer.

Primary PCI - The Gold Standard

  • Definition: Mechanical revascularization via catheterization, involving balloon angioplasty and/or stent placement to open a blocked coronary artery. Preferred strategy for STEMI if available in a timely manner.
  • Key Goal: Achieve TIMI grade 3 flow (normal perfusion) in the infarct-related artery.

Timelines are Critical:

  • Door-to-Balloon (D2B) Time: < 90 minutes at a PCI-capable hospital.
  • Transfer Patients: First Medical Contact (FMC) to device time should be < 120 minutes. If this timeline isn't possible, consider fibrinolytics.

Procedure:

  1. Diagnostic coronary angiography to locate the occlusion.
  2. Balloon angioplasty to compress the plaque.
  3. Stent placement (usually a Drug-Eluting Stent, DES) to scaffold the vessel open.

Angioplasty procedure with balloon catheter

Radial artery access is now the standard of care for PCI, as it significantly ↓ bleeding complications and mortality compared to femoral access.

Fibrinolysis - The Clot Dissolver

  • Indication: STEMI when primary PCI is unavailable within 120 minutes of first medical contact. Most effective if given within 12 hours of symptom onset.
    • Goal: Door-to-needle time < 30 minutes.
  • Mechanism: Converts plasminogen to plasmin, which degrades fibrin, dissolving the thrombus.
  • Agents: Alteplase (tPA), Reteplase (rPA), and Tenecteplase (TNK-tPA).
    • TNK-tPA is fibrin-specific and given as a single IV bolus.
  • ⚠️ Key Absolute Contraindications:
    • Any prior intracranial hemorrhage (ICH).
    • Known structural cerebral vascular lesion (e.g., AVM).
    • Ischemic stroke within 3 months.
    • Suspected aortic dissection.
    • Active bleeding or significant closed-head/facial trauma within 3 months.

⭐ The most feared complication is intracranial hemorrhage. Risk is highest in the elderly, females, and patients with low body weight or uncontrolled hypertension.

High-Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • PCI is the gold standard for STEMI reperfusion, with a target door-to-balloon time of < 90 minutes.
  • Use fibrinolysis if PCI is not available within 120 minutes of first medical contact.
  • Fibrinolytics are most effective within 3 hours of symptom onset.
  • Key contraindications to fibrinolysis include prior intracranial hemorrhage, active bleeding, or recent major trauma/surgery.
  • All patients receive dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), typically aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor, post-reperfusion.

Practice Questions: Reperfusion strategies

Test your understanding with these related questions

A 54-year-old man is brought to the emergency department 1 hour after the sudden onset of shortness of breath, severe chest pain, and sweating. He has hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. He has smoked one pack and a half of cigarettes daily for 20 years. An ECG shows ST-segment elevations in leads II, III, and avF. The next hospital with a cardiac catheterization unit is more than 2 hours away. Reperfusion pharmacotherapy is initiated. Which of the following is the primary mechanism of action of this medication?

1 of 5

Flashcards: Reperfusion strategies

1/10

The second most common artery involved in a myocardial infarction is the _____

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

The second most common artery involved in a myocardial infarction is the _____

right coronary artery

browseSpaceflip

Enjoying this lesson?

Get full access to all lessons, practice questions, and more.

Start Your Free Trial