The most important therapeutic goal in the treatment of patients with ST-elevation myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is achievement of early and complete reperfusion of the infarct-related vessel. Effective reperfusion can be achieved by either fibrinolytic therapy or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) without antecedent fibrinolysis. A total of 23 randomised controlled trials, involving more than 7500 patients, have demonstrated the superiority of primary PCI over fibrinolytic therapy,
1 with the absolute mortality advantage of primary PCI greatest in high-risk patients such as those with cardiogenic shock.
2,3 However, almost all these trials were performed in the United States or Western Europe. The situation and the efficacy of primary PCI may differ in other parts of the world, with regards to logistics, experience of PCI centres and patient characteristics. More insights into potential differences between these regions and the Western world are important to estimate whether primary PCI will also be effective in these countries. …