Therapeutic management of acute myocardial infarction.
Criteria for selecting patients for thrombolytic therapy are presented, the major benefits of the currently approved thrombolytic agents are reviewed, and management considerations, including contraindications and the role of ancillary therapy, are discussed. Coronary thrombosis is now believed to play a central role in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Re-establishment of coronary perfusion by thrombolysis has been extensively studied in the past decade and is now regarded as established therapy for patients with ischemic pain of brief (less than six hours') duration who have electrocardiographic ST-segment elevation, are less than 75 years of age, and have no contraindications. Studies supporting thrombolytic therapy have focused on the endpoints of (1) coronary artery patency or reperfusion, (2) improvement in left ventricular function, and (3) reduction in mortality. Benefits for each of these three endpoints have been established and are reviewed with respect to streptokinase, alteplase, and anistreplase, the three agents that have been approved for intravenous use in patients with AMI. The risk of bleeding, including intracranial hemorrhage, remains a concern for all patients. Ancillary therapies to be considered include aspirin, heparin, nitroglycerin, and beta blockers. Recent studies testing different strategies for coronary angiography and angioplasty plus surgery have generally supported a conservative approach, with interventions performed for clinical reasons rather than prophylaxis. Although the currently approved agents have differing pharmacologic profiles, none has yet proved to be clearly superior in the management of patients with AMI. Nonetheless, these agents remain the most promising means of treating selected patients.
University of Utah, Division of Cardiology, LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City 84143.
J L
JL
Anderson
D000208:Acute Disease; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents