Activated clotting times in acute coronary syndromes and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

A discrete fall in the ACT (activated coagulation time) has been observed in patients with known activation of the coagulation cascade. Injury to the coronary artery resulting in thrombin activation, whether spontaneous as in the case of acute myocardial infarction or planned as with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), may therefore be reflected in a change in ACT values. We reviewed the records of patients undergoing PTCA at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital/Texas Heart Institute from January 1990 through December 1992 for information regarding ACT values and clinical events. A total of 469 patients, whose record contained adequate information for study inclusion, were divided into four separate groups: acute myocardial infarction (group I, n = 62), unstable angina with heparin therapy that was withdrawn at least 4 hr prior to PTCA (group II, n = 102), unstable angina with heparin therapy continued until the time of PTCA (group III, n = 154), and stable angina undergoing elective PTCA (group IV, n = 151). Heparin was discontinued 12-15 hr after the procedure in all but group I where anticoagulation was often maintained up to 72 hr. ACT values were measured prior to the PTCA procedure (baseline), after the initial heparin bolus of 10,000 U (postheparin) and approximately 12-18 hr after the procedure (heparin withdrawal).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)