Manual thrombus aspiration before PPCI leads to better myocardial reperfusion and is associated with lower creatine kinase mass band fraction release, lower risk of distal embolization, and no reflow compared with standard PPCI. (Thrombus Aspiration Before Standard Primary Angioplasty Improves Myocardial Reperfusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00257153).

Our finding that alpha-adrenergic blockade attenuates vasoconstriction and postischemic LV dysfunction supports the hypothesis of an important role of neural mechanisms in this phenomenon.

Coronary angioplasty in patients treated by abciximab using the transradial approach is efficacious with fewer major access site complications than with the transfemoral approach.