STEMI Versus NSTEMI: Clinical and Angiographic Differences

Assessment of risk profile. Diabetes mellitus diagnosed when fasting blood glucose (FBG) was >= 126mg/dL or if patients were taking oral hypoglycaemic drugs or were on insulin treatment. Hypertension defined as blood pressure >= 140/90 mmHg or history of antihypertensive treatment. Hypercholesterolemia,adjudicated when cholesterol levels were >= 200 mg/dL or with patients on lipid lowering treatment. Hypertriglyceridemia adjudicated on fasting triglyceride levels>= 200 mg/dL or triglyceride-lowering therapy . Obesity, defined as BMI >= 30 kg/m2.

Patients with STEMI, who had not been previously treated with thrombolysis, and those who had been undergone to an unsuccessful thrombolysis, as well as patients with NSTEMI with a TIMI score> 3 who were immediately referred to the Cat Lab and whenever possible treated with PTCA and stenting of the culprit lesion. The other patients who were referred to Cat Lab within 48 hours from the beginning of chest pain, unless their general conditions did not strongly suggest to delay the procedure after 2 more days.