Does the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) save lives in cardiogenic shock following acute myocardial infarction? The IABP-SHOCK II trial was a multicenter, randomized controlled trial that aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of IABP therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by cardiogenic shock. The study compared the outcomes of patients treated with IABP and those who received standard medical therapy without IABP. The trial found no significant difference in 30-day mortality between the two groups, suggesting that IABP did not provide a mortality benefit in this cohort. Despite prior suggestions of the benefit of IABP for improving survival in cardiogenic shock, the findings of the IABP-SHOCK II trial led to a reassessment of its routine use in these patients.