Abstract

Background: Primary angioplasty is the most effective treatment of ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, its worldwide implementation is difficult to obtain. Therefore thrombolysis continues to be the treatment most commonly used. Aim: To evaluate inhospital and long term mortality of patients with STEMI treated with thrombolysis or angioplasty, in three hospitals participating in the Chilean National Registry of Acute MI (GEMIgroup). Material and tnethods: Registry of 1,634 consecutive patients with STEMI admited between 2002 and 2006. Risk was stratified using the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Risk Score. Hospital and log term mortalities were adjusted using logistic and Cox regression models. Results: Fifty nine percent of patients (967 patients aged 60