A decline in hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarct during the last 10 years. An effect of acute intervention?

Abstract

The decline in hospital mortality after myocardial infarction was analyzed retrospectively in a cohort of 2147 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction, admitted to an University Hospital between 1978 and 1987. During this period the percentage of patients who had acute active interventions (thrombolysis, aortocoronary bypass surgery, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty) increased from 6% (in 1978/79) to 50% (in 1986/87). During that same period, conventional treatment of acute myocardial infarction and the provisions for emergency admission and intensive care remained unchanged. At the same time there was a significant reduction in overall mortality from 29% (1978/79) to 17% (1986/87) (P less than 0.001). This decrease was especially marked for males (from 27% to 13% in the respective periods), and in patients with anterior-wall infarction (34% and 16%, respectively). These changes cannot be explained by differences in group characteristics. The main cause for the distinct reduction in hospital mortality of this cohort was the introduction and expansion of acute interventions.