[Management of acute myocardial infarction: the experience of a Tunisian hospital].

UNLABELLED: The aim of this work was to study some aspects of the management of acute myocardial infarction.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Data concerning 153 patients had been collected during one year between July 1st, 2000 and June 30, 2001 from patients' databases.

RESULTS

Our population was constituted of 126 men (82.4%) and 27 women (17.6%). The average age was 61 years. 101 patients (66.0%) were treated by thrombolysis with an average delay of 5.3 +/- 2.8 hours. Streptokinase was the thrombolytic agent used in all cases. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was performed in thirteen patients (8.5%) (5 primary angioplasties, 4 rescue angioplasties and 4 programmed angioplasties). Stents were implanted in 12 patients. A cardiac surgery was performed in three patients (2 coronary artery bypass graft surgery and 1 closure of ventricular septal defect) in acute phase of their myocardial infarction. The global rate of revascularisation was 71%.

CONCLUSION

The thrombolytic therapy remains the most used means of revascularisation in our country because it is available and not expensive. The use of coronary angioplasty in emergency remains exceptional because the technical means were insufficient.