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To evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in the treatment of myocardial infarction, we reviewed the records of 508 consecutive patients treated within 6 hours of pain onset. Two hundred fifty-eight patients received direct PTCA without thrombolytic therapy, and 250 received thrombolytic therapy followed by immediate PTCA (within 24 hours, n=73) or delayed PTCA (later than 24 hours, n=177). The direct-PTCA group had the lowest initial success rate (92%) and the highest 1-week (8.1%) and 1-year (14%) mortality rates. Immediate PTCA had a 96% success rate, and 6.8% 1-week and 8.2% 1-year mortality rates. Delayed PTCA had the same initial success (96%), but lower 1-week (1.7%) and 1-year (2.3%) mortality. We conclude that both direct PTCA and combination treatment (thrombolytic therapy followed by PTCA) result in high rates of recanalizing occluded coronary arteries, but that combination treatment has higher initial success and survival rates, with delay in the use of PTCA producing the best survival rates.