Extracorporeal Life Support for Cardiogenic Shock or Cardiac Arrest Due to Acute Coronary Syndrome

Despite hemodynamic support with ECLS, patients with ACS complicated by cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest refractory to conventional treatment had high mortality. However, the higher than 30% in-hospital survival rate in this extremely critical population indicates that ECLS might improve outcomes in ACS by saving the lives of patients in this specialized category. Unsuccessful angioplasty, asystole or pulseless electrical activity before ECLS introduction, and ECLS-related complications were predictors of in-hospital mortality.