In this review, the authors discuss a brief history of the Impella mechanical circulatory support device, a mechanistic role for the device in the context of the underlying pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS), the current body of literature evaluating its role in AMI-CS, and upcoming efforts to identify a role more clearly for the device in AMI-CS.
Keywords: cardiogenic shock; acute myocardial infarction; mechanical circulatory support.