title: Reduced occurrence of atrial fibrillation in acute myocardial infarction treated with streptokinase.
abstract: In a historical follow-up study of 152 hospital patients with acute myocardial infarction, the frequency of life-threatening arrhythmias (ventricular fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia, 3rd degree AV-block, 2nd degree AV-block (Mobitz type II), and asystole) and atrial fibrillation in 76 patients treated with streptokinase was compared with their frequency in 76 patients who did not receive a thrombolytic therapy. Among those treated with streptokinase two patients (3%) developed atrial fibrillation, compared with 12 (16%) in the control group (P = 0.009). Life-threatening arrhythmias occurred with equal frequency in the two groups. Further studies should confirm and clarify the mechanism of the reduced frequency of atrial fibrillation in the streptokinase-treated patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aalborg Hospital South, Denmark.
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ravn
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013300:Streptokinase