Non-invasive ventilation improves hemorheology status in hypoxemic patients with acute myocardial infarction after PCI

Background Hypoxemia sometimes occurs in the emergency room in the patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), even in those with administration of conventional high-flow oxygen inhalation. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in improving blood oxygen content and hemorheology in patients with AMI and hypoxemia. Methods This prospective study enrolled 50 consecutive eligible patients with AMI (aged 72.3 +/- 9.5 years), who had undergone PCI and been administered high-flow oxygen but still had hypoxemia. Blood was taken before NIV and at 0.5, 1, and 2 h after NIV. Blood gases, hemorheological variables including erythrocyte deformability, erythrocyte aggregation, erythrocyte osmotic fragility, membrane fluidity, and oxidative stress level were measured. Results Blood PaO2 increased to normal by 1 h after NIV. Assessed hemorheological variables had all improved and plasma malondialdehyde concentration decreased significantly after 2 h of NIV. Conclusions Our data suggest that NIV can help to improve blood oxygen content, hemorheological status, and minimize plasma lipid peroxidation injury in hypoxemic patients with AMI who have undergone PCI.