RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of the intra-aortic balloon pump in the mortality due to cardiogenic shock post-acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: In a two-year period, 292 patients with acute myocardial infarction were admitted to the coronary intensive care unit, 40 were included in the study. Afterwards, patients were divided in two groups: early cardiogenic and late cardiogenic shock, and they were assigned randomly and blind to treatment with inotropics and inotropics plus intra-aortic balloon pump. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the measurements of pulmonary wedge pressure (20.4 +/- 1.6 vs 24.4 +/- 1.50, p = 0.0004) and the cardiac index (2.06 +/- 0.7 vs 1.65 +/- 0.18, p = 0.0002) between the two groups. The late cardiogenic shock group showed an increased mortality (25.9% vs 61.5%, p < 0.05). Patients treated with inotropics + balloon, in both early and late shock groups, showed a reduction in mortality of 66% and 69%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the intra-aortic balloon pump in the treatment of cardiogenic shock post acute myocardial infarction reduces the mortality when associated with the use of inotropics and reperfusion.