The optimal timing for elective noncardiac surgery (NCS) after coronary stenting is uncertain. We identified 47 patients who underwent elective NCS within 90 days of coronary stent placement between January 1995 and December 2000. Twenty-seven patients had NCS within 3 weeks of coronary stenting. Six of the seven in whom thienopyridine antiplatelet therapy was discontinued died postoperatively in a manner suggestive of stent thrombosis. In contrast, only 1 of the 20 patients in whom the thienopyridine was continued through the NCS died. The frequency of perioperative hemorrhage was similar whether or not the antiplatelet agent was continued. Only 1 perioperative death occurred in the 20 patients with NCS more than 3 weeks following stenting.
Cocaine-associated myocardial infarction (CAMI) is a well-reported entity. Most previous reports on CAMI have been limited to conservative care utilizing benzodiazepines, aspirin, nitroglycerin, calcium channel blockers, and thrombolytics. Current guidelines on CAMI advocate immediate use of angiography and angioplasty if available rather than routine administration of thrombolytics. However, based on literature search from 1966 to 2001 (using keywords "cocaine," "myocardial infarction," and "angioplasty"), there have been only two case reports of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with cocaine-associated myocardial infarction. Both were notable for complications either during or immediately after the procedure. We report a series of 10 patients with cocaine-associated myocardial infarction who were treated with percutaneous interventions, which included angioplasty, stenting, and AngioJet mechanical extraction of thrombus. Despite the different arteriopathic process involved, our findings suggest that PCI can be performed safely and with a high degree of procedural success in patients with CAMI.
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