Causes of mortality following PCI: the University of New Mexico hospital experience

All post-PCI deaths in this series occurred in acutely unstable patients, with cardiac comorbidities and myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest prior to catheterization. PCI reduced culprit stenosis to ≤50% in 96% of cases with an overall procedural success rate of 90% and only one major complication. No deaths were clearly related to operator error.