Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
One-step Protocol for Evaluation of the Mode of Radiation-induced Clonogenic Cell Death by Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: October 23, 2017
Causes of mortality following PCI: the University of New Mexico hospital experience
Yusra Azhar1, Kenneth M Zabel1, James C Blankenship2
1Department of Internal Medicine.
Insights
Mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is linked to patient instability before the procedure. Identifying specific causes of death is crucial for improving outcomes in high-risk PCI patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Medical Informatics
Background:
- Mortality following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a significant clinical challenge.
- Existing clinical databases lack detailed information on specific causes of death post-PCI, hindering the identification of improvement opportunities.
- This study aimed to identify specific opportunities for improvement (OFIs) by reviewing cases of death after coronary intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causes of death in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
- To identify specific opportunities for improvement (OFIs) that could potentially prevent mortality after PCI.
- To analyze patient presentation, procedural success, and complications in relation to mortality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the University of New Mexico's electronic medical record system to identify PCI patients who died before discharge between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2021.
- Conducted a thorough review of electronic medical records by two physicians for each deceased patient.
- Evaluated patient presentation, PCI procedural success, PCI-related complications, their contribution to death, and the ultimate causes of death.
Main Results:
- Out of 894 PCI patients, 48 (5.4%) died before discharge.
- The most common presentations were ST-elevation myocardial infarction (48%) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (35%).
- The overall procedural success rate for PCI was 90%, with cardiac causes being the most frequent cause of death (80%).
Conclusions:
- Deaths after PCI in this cohort occurred in critically ill patients with pre-existing conditions like myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest.
- Percutaneous coronary intervention successfully reduced culprit stenosis in most cases with a high procedural success rate and minimal complications.
- No deaths were definitively attributed to operator error, suggesting focus on patient acuity and underlying conditions.
Background:
Mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a problem. Clinical databases such as the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data CathPCI Registry do not contain enough information to determine the specific cause of death after PCI, and thus are not able to identify opportunities for improvement (OFIs) that might have prevented the death of specific patients. We reviewed cases of death after coronary intervention to identify specific OFIs.
Methods:
The University of New Mexico electronic medical record system was used to identify PCI patients who died before discharge from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2021. Electronic medical records for each patient were reviewed by two physicians to identify presentation before PCI, procedural success of PCI, complications of PCI, contribution of PCI complications to death, and causes of death after PCI.
Results:
During the study period, 48 of 894 PCI patients died before discharge. Presentation was ST elevation myocardial infarction in 23 (48%) and out of hospital cardiac arrest in 17 (35%). PCI success rate was 90%. Causes of death were most frequently cardiac (80%), septic shock (4%), mixed cardiogenic and septic shock (4%), COVID (8%), and anoxic brain injury (4%).
Conclusion:
All post-PCI deaths in this series occurred in acutely unstable patients, with cardiac comorbidities and myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest prior to catheterization. PCI reduced culprit stenosis to ≤50% in 96% of cases with an overall procedural success rate of 90% and only one major complication. No deaths were clearly related to operator error.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Cardiac Catheterization IV: Nursing Management
01:27Coronary Artery Disease V: Interprofessional Care
01:30Acute Coronary Syndrome I: Introduction
01:28Acute Coronary Syndrome IV: Interprofessional Care
01:26Acute Coronary Syndrome V: Nursing Management
01:26Angina IV: Management