[Intravenous streptokinase infusions in acute myocardial infarction. Restoring patency of occluded thrombotic coronary vessels (author's transl)].

Intravenous treatment over 30 minutes with 500 000 U streptokinase was given to 21 patients with acute myocardial infarction. Serial measurements of serum CK-MB activity made recanalisation of the infarcted artery likely in 3 patients. Selective coronarography was performed in 18 patients during the acute infarction phase. Angiographic follow-up investigations were done 24 hours and after 3 weeks. In 3 cases only subtotal occlusion of the infarcted coronary artery was seen during the acute phase. A thrombus demonstrated in two patients could be lysed. In 8 out of 15 patients with complete coronary artery occlusion the infarcted vessel was reopened 20-60 minutes after onset of intravenous streptokinase infusion. In a further 4 patients recanalisation was observed 60-140 minutes after passing a guide wire or during an additional intracoronary infusion of streptokinase. The infarcted vessel remained occluded in 3 patients, one of whom died following myocardial rupture. In 12 patients with recanalisation of the infarcted artery during the acute phase a premature maximum of serial CK-MB serum activity was seen after 13.5 +/- 2.9 hours in comparison with 20.9 +/- 5.3 hours in 122 patients treated conventionally. Serial enzyme determinations allow indirect conclusions as to a rapid recanalisation of an infarcted blood vessel.