title: Intravenous streptokinase therapy for acute myocardial infarction in a community hospital: effect on ventricular function and mortality.
abstract: Streptokinase can dramatically impact upon management of myocardial infarctions in community hospitals. When given by experienced personnel during the first six hours after onset of symptoms, streptokinase is associated with a high patency rate, improved left ventricular function, and reduced mortality. Careful screening of patients results in a low complication rate with infrequent serious bleeding. Streptokinase should be utilized in those hospitals without cardiac catheterization facilities, but in light of the relatively high incidence of recurrent pain (15.8%), transfer of stable patients to a facility with a catheterization laboratory should be carried out within 24 to 72 hours. As approximately 60% of patients will require PTCA, CABG, or both, diagnostic cardiac catheterization should be considered in all patients unless there are other mitigating factors.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Trask
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Trask
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Cushing
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Usher
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy
chemical_list: D013300:Streptokinase