Intravenous streptokinase in acute myocardial infarction at the community hospital: a six-year experience.

The efficacy of intravenous streptokinase in the initial management of acute myocardial infarction was evaluated over a 6-year period in 130 patients admitted to 3 community hospitals. Most patients were admitted within 2 hours of onset of symptoms and received 1.5 million units of streptokinase over a 30- to 60-minute period. Clinical observations and serial creatine phosphokinase-MB were indicative of vessel patency in 115 (88%) of the patients after initiation of thrombolysis. Of this group, 105 underwent catheterization, and recanalization was demonstrated in 97 (92%). Fifty percent of the patients who underwent reperfusion were subsequently maintained with medical therapy; 50% underwent either percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery. Major morbidity was confined to hematomas; no cerebral bleeding was encountered. There was 1 early death from cerebral thrombosis and 2 late deaths, 1 to cancer and 1 to myocardial infarction. These findings suggest the benefit of intravenous streptokinase thrombolysis in patients with acute myocardial infarction presenting within 3 hours of onset of pain, unless specific potential bleeding problems exist or in the case of certain very elderly persons. In addition, the trial demonstrated the feasibility of triaging patients who have undergone lytic therapy to a central facility for catheterization and management.