ESC 2023 – Late-Breaker host, Dr Harriette Van Spall (McMaster University, CA) is joined by Prof Holger Thiele (Heart Center Leipzig at University of Leipzig, DE) to discuss the findings from the ECLS-SHOCK trial (NCT03637205). 

The leading cause of death in hospitalised patients with acute myocardial infarction is cardiogenic shock. Efforts to improve outcomes for these patients has led to an increase in the use of mechanical circulatory support devices to attain haemodynamic stabilisation in severe cases of shock, especially the use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), also known as ECLS. 

ECLS-SHOCK (Helios Health Institute GmbH) aimed to investigate the impact of ECLS on mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. The results showed no reduction in 30-day mortality with early ECLS implementation, and an increase in complications, potentially leading to a discontinued use of these devices in clinical practice. 

Recorded on-site at ESC Congress 2023, Amsterdam.

For more content from ESC Congress 2023 and the Late-breaker Discussion series head to the Hot Line & Late-breaking Science Video Collection.

Editors: Mirjam Boros and Jordan Rance
Video Specialists: Dan Brent, Tom Green, Mike Knight, Oliver Miles