title: Potential influence of previous medical pathology on use of thrombolysis in the elderly with suspected acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: A perceived reluctance by many doctors to consider the use of thrombolytic therapy in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction prompted us to investigate the potential influence of pre-existing medical pathology on use of fibrinolysis. Of 251 patients consecutively admitted to hospital with suspected acute myocardial infarction, absolute contra-indications to thrombolysis were found in 9 (4%) patients and relative contra-indications in a further 82 (31%) patients. This study suggests that the presence of contra-indications plays a small role in influencing the potential use of thrombolysis in the elderly. Age itself should not be assumed to be inevitably associated with an unacceptable rate of contra-indications for thrombolytic therapy.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Geriatric Medicine, Cardiff Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bayer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000075202:Contraindications; D003625:Data Collection; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy