Further Inpatient Care
All patients with cardiac rupture should be transferred to the operating room immediately and admitted to the medical ICU or surgical ICU after surgery.
Transfer
Transfer should be considered only for patients who are in a center without a cardiothoracic surgery unit. The outcome in this setting is quite poor.
Deterrence/Prevention
Coronary risk factor modification decreases risk of AMI. Avoid NSAIDs or corticosteroids in the early phase of AMI.
Control hypertension and use beta-blockers early in patients with AMI.
Early successful percutaneous coronary intervention (balloon angioplasty and placement of stent) reduces the risk of myocardial rupture following AMI.
Using seat belts can significantly reduce the rate of blunt thoracic trauma resulting from high-speed accidents.
Complications
Complications include the following:
- Tamponade
- Hemothorax
- Sudden death
Prognosis
Prognosis depends on the type, size, hemodynamic effects, and cause of myocardial rupture.
Making a quick diagnosis and initiating surgical intervention is crucial. Approximately 50% of patients with cardiac rupture following AMI die within 5 days, and 82% die within 2 weeks of the index infarction. Aggressive early diagnosis and surgery may confer a survival rate as high as 75%.
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