title: [Role of urokinase in the acute phase of myocardial infarction].
abstract: The prourokinase-urokinase system physiologically contributes to fibrinolysis activation. It is therefore rational to envisage the use of urokinase in thrombotic diseases, and notably in the acute phase of myocardial infarction (MI) where coronary thrombosis is virtually constant. The main studies on this subject were published in 1975 and in 1985, thus reflecting the changes in therapeutic concepts that have occurred during these 10 years. The older studies concerned patients who were admitted within the first 12 hours of MI and had no early angiographic examination; the results were evaluated indirectly on clinical and enzymatic criteria and on the regression of electrical signs of myocardial suffering. The more recent studies concern patients who are treated at an early stage, often within the first 3 hours of the accident, on the basis of experimental data which favoured early coronary reperfusion as a means of protecting the myocardium; in these studies coronary arteriography is performed immediately after the thrombolytic treatment; computer-assisted studies of the left ventricular function are also carried out, so that the results of thrombolysis are expressed in terms of coronary patency and improvement in segmental kinetics. The results of these different sets of studies have proved to be similar with time. Urokinase, notably when injected intravenously, has a beneficial effect in the acute phase of MI when compared to the conventional treatment. The coronary reperfusion obtained with urokinase is favourable to the myocardium, and the sooner it occurs the better. This benefit is demonstrated by clinical, electrical, enzymatic and angiographic data. Thus, despite its cost, urokinase remains useful in the treatment of MI, notably because it is well tolerated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator
vernacular_title: Place de l'urokinase à la phase aiguë de l'infarctus du myocarde.