HEART attack victims may have a better chance of survival if stenting is delayed, a West of Scotland study has found.
Specialists at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank have shown that in 'high risk' heart attack patients, after blood flow has been restored in the blocked artery, delaying putting in a stent could aid their recovery.
A stent, a small mesh tube used to keep an artery open, can also cause harmful 'no reflow', which means blood cannot return to the oxygen-starved area of the heart.
Stents can also dislodge clot material and cause further damage to the heart muscle.
Trials found delaying stenting by between four and 16 hours after a heart attack reduced the likelihood of 'no-reflow'.
Professor Colin Berry of the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, said: "Deferred stenting reduced no-reflow and decreased the size of the heart attack compared to conventional treatment."
"When the stent placement is deferred for a few hours, the final results are better with overall less damage to the heart muscle."
caroline.wilson@ eveningtimes.co.uk
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