Editor's note: Management of myocardial infarction patients with an occluded infarct‐related artery

Based on the foregoing data it is not unreasonable to hypothesize that restoration of flow in the infarct-related artery at a later date might decrease mortality. If that is the case, then a strong argument can be made for coronary angiography in patients surviving acute myocardial infarction. Of course, the ideal way to investigate this problem is to perform a large-scale prospective trial in which patients who have an occluded infarct-related artery are randomized to a revascularization procedure or continued on nonsurgical therapy. The specific management strategy for the patient with an occluded infarct-related artery after myocardial infarction depends on several features that the patient exhibits. For example, the presence or absence of LV dilatation, arrhythmias, recurrent ischemia, or clinical heart failure may dictate one form of therapy or another. There is no generic postinfarction patient with an infarct-related artery occlusion. Choices of drugs to use in these patients include the vasodilators, such as nitrates and ACE inhibitors, as well as aspirin and beta blockers. The use of calcium antagonists, chronic anticoagulants, and antiarrhythmics should have specific indications. Antithrombin agents are still experimental.