RESUMO
Background:Coronary angioplasty was introduced in Chile in 1982, but only after the introduction of stents it became commonplace. However, the results of this procedure at the national level remain largely unknown. Aim: To assess the results and characteristics of coronary angioplasty and develop a national registry in Chile (RENAC). Patients and Methods: All centers performing angioplasty were invited to contribute prospectively with the clinical, angiographic, procedural characteristics and results of all consecutive coronary angioplasty procedures attempted between June 2001 and October 2002. Results: In 10 centers, 1768 lesions were treated in 1484 procedures (22.98 percent in women). Mean age was 60.8±11.3 years old. Diabetes was found in 21.8 percent, hypertension in 60.2 percent, dyslipidemia in 52.0 percent, active smoking in 40.0 percent, renal failure in 6.2 percent. Myocardial infarction was recent in 28.4 percent and acute in 19.7 percent. Forty eight percent of patients had unstable angina and 15.5 percent had stable angina. Fifty three percent of patients had single vessel disease and 71 percent, normal left ventricular eyection fraction. One vessel was treated in 90.6 percent of patients and 81.7 percent of lesions were treated with stents, 17.9 percent only with baloon and in 0.4 percent with atherectomy. Angiographic success was obtained in 95.2 percent. Clinical success was obtained in 92.2 percent, and 95.1 percent in patients without acute myocardial infarction. Overall inhospital death was 2.2 percent. In patients without myocardial infarction, the figure was 1.1 percent. Conclusions: Coronary angioplasty in Chile is performed mostly for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes. Stents are the most frequently used devices. The high success, low mortality and complications observed are comparable to North American registries (Rev Méd Chile 2004; 132: 913-22).