Safety of intraaortic balloon counterpulsation in patients with acute myocardial infarction receiving streptokinase intravenously

Abstract

Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) was initially described in 1968, 1 and has become widely used in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 2 cardiogenic shock 1,3 and in those undergoing cardiac surgery 3 or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.4 The complication rate in patients treated with IABC has ranged between 25 and 36%. 3,5,6 Recently, the use of thrombolytic agents has become widely accepted in the treatment of patients with AMI. 7,8 A significant complication of intravenous thrombolytic therapy is bleeding, especially involving sites of access for cardiac catheterization. 9 When catheterization is performed early after intravenous thrombolytic treatment, the incidence of local bleeding ranges from 18 to 43%. 9 The risk of IABC soon after intravenous thrombolytic therapy has not been previously examined.