Impact of hypertension on distal embolization, myocardial perfusion, and mortality in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary angioplasty

Hypertension is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerosis. However, data on the impact of hypertension in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are inconsistent and mainly related to studies performed in the thrombolytic era, with very few data on patients undergoing primary angioplasty. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of hypertension on distal embolization, myocardial perfusion, and mortality in patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Our population is represented by 1,662 patients undergoing primary angioplasty for STEMI included in the Early Glycoprotein IIb-IIIa inhibitors in Primary angioplasty database. Myocardial perfusion was evaluated by myocardial blush grade and ST segment resolution. Follow-up data were collected within 1 year after primary angioplasty. Hypertension was observed in 700 patients (42.1%). Hypertension was associated with more advanced age (p <0.001), female gender (p <0.001), diabetes (p <0.001), hypercholesterolemia (p <0.001), previous revascularization (p <0.001), anterior myocardial infarction (p = 0.006), longer ischemia time (p = 0.03), more extensive coronary artery disease (p = 0.002), more often treated with abciximab (p <0.001), and less often smokers (p <0.001). Hypertension was associated with impaired postprocedural myocardial blush grade 2 to 3 (68.2% vs 74.2%, p = 0.019) and complete ST segment resolution (51.7% vs 61.1%, p = 0.001). By a mean follow-up of 206 ± 158 days, 70 patients (4.3%) had died. Hypertension was associated with a greater mortality (6.2% vs 2.9%, hazard ratio 2.31, 95% confidence interval 1.42 to 3.73, p <0.001), confirmed after correction for baseline confounding factors (hazard ratio 1.82, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 3.22, p <0.001). In conclusion, this study showed that among patients with STEMI undergoing primary angioplasty, hypertension is associated with impaired reperfusion and independently predicts 1-year mortality.