Drug Eluting Stent (DES) in Primary Angioplasty

Open-label randomization was performed after initial angiography by the treating physician when eligibility criteria were met. All patients received in the CCU 70U/Kg i.v. bolus of UFH plus 1000U/h infusion (to maintain an ACT of at least 200 seconds), aspirin intravenously (500 mg) and clopidogrel (300 mg loading dose). All patients received upstream Gp IIb-IIIa inhibitors administration as a routine adjunctive therapy before primary PCI. Postinterventional antiplatelet therapy for all patients included in the three study group, consisted of aspirin (100 mg) indefinitely and clopidogrel (75 mg for six months). Stenting procedures were performed according to standard techniques. The number and length of stents, and the type of BMS to be implanted, were left to the operator's discretion. The operator was allowed to implant DES to cover the entire length of the lesion with coverage of the entire stented segment and of 5 mm proximal and distal segments.