title: The effect of streptokinase on chest pain in acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: Treatment with intravenous streptokinase is known to restore blood flow to the ischaemic myocardium in patients with acute myocardial infarction. However, little is known about its effect on chest pain. In a retrospective cohort study, 76 patients treated with streptokinase were compared to 76 patients not treated with streptokinase. All patients had acute myocardial infarction and less than 6 h of cardiac symptoms. Patients treated with streptokinase had a significantly lower need for nicomorphine (median 20 mg) than patients not treated with streptokinase (median 41 mg). Correspondingly, the median duration (3.5 h) of pain was reduced significantly in patients treated with streptokinase compared to patients not treated (24 h). We conclude that intravenous streptokinase given in the acute phase of myocardial infarction is effective in reducing the duration of cardiac chest pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Aalborg Hospital, DK-9100 AalborgDenmark.
authors.forename: Jeppe Hagstrup
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Henrik Toft
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: Søren Elkjær
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Lene
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ravn
authors.forename: Finn Erland
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009022:Morphine Derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009539:Nicotinic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D009022:Morphine Derivatives; D009539:Nicotinic Acids; D013300:Streptokinase; C008549:nicomorphine