Home / Health / New Study: 48-Hour Stent Delay as Effective as Immediate
New Study: 48-Hour Stent Delay as Effective as Immediate
7 Mar
Summary
- Delaying heart stent procedures up to 48 hours is as effective as immediate intervention.
- New research from Madras Medical College challenges the 90-minute gold standard.
- Findings could reshape treatment for STEMI heart attacks in resource-limited areas.
New research from Madras Medical College indicates that delaying angioplasty and stenting for severe heart attacks (STEMI) up to 48 hours after administering clot-busting drugs is as effective as immediate intervention. This study, published in the American Journal of Cardiology, analyzed 2,499 patients treated between September 2018 and October 2019.
Traditionally, immediate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 90 minutes was considered the gold standard. However, for patients in regions with limited facilities, delayed stenting offers a viable alternative. Researchers found that in-hospital and one-year mortality rates were similar between patients receiving immediate stenting and those undergoing delayed stenting within 48 hours.
This approach could significantly impact heart attack treatment strategies, especially in areas where immediate access to catheterization labs is challenging. While promising, the study authors emphasize that larger, randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings and establish delayed stenting as a definitive safe alternative.
