(February 18, 2009 - Insidermedicine) There is little benefit to undergoing an invasive procedure to open arteries that were blocked for days following a heart attack, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Here is some information about heart attacks:

•    A heart attack occurs when some of the blood supply to the heart is cut off.

•    A heart attack often occurs because of a blockage in an artery.

•    While opening a blockage as soon as symptoms begin is beneficial, it is less clear whether it is worthwhile to open it days or weeks later.

Researchers from Duke University Medical Center assessed the psychological and physical functioning of nearly 1,000 individuals who had an artery that remained blocked 3 to 28 days after a heart attack. Some patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, while others were treated with medical care, including drug therapy.

At 4 months, those who underwent PCI had slightly better cardiac physical functioning than those who received medical care alone. After 2 years this difference disappeared. There was no difference between the groups in terms of psychological well-being. The cost of medical care for those who underwent PCI was about $7,000.00 USD more than for those who received medical care alone.

Today's research shows that there is little benefit to undergoing PCI to open blocked arteries that remained closed days after a heart attack. 

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.