[No sex differences observed in thrombolysis treatment in acute myocardial infarct but they are found in contraindications and complications].
OBJECTIVE
To detect possible differences between men and women in thrombolytic treatment after acute myocardial infarction.


METHODS
Retrospective chart study.


METHODS
University Hospital Nijmegen, the Netherlands.


METHODS
The data were studied of all patients diagnosed at discharge as 'myocardial infarction' during the period July 1992 to December 1993, with comparison of men and women.


RESULTS
There were 181 patients with myocardial infarction: 53 women (29%) and 128 men (71%). At the time of diagnosis, the women on average were 9 years older than the men. Of these patients, 24 women (45%) and 66 men (52%) were treated with a thrombolytic agent. In 30% of the cases in both men and women, the main reason not to give a thrombolytic agent was exceeding the time limit of 6 hours after the first symptoms. In addition, thrombolysis was refrained from because of contraindications in 23% of the women and in 17% of the men. In women, an 'inconclusive' ECG was an important reason for not giving thrombolysis. There was a difference between the numbers of women and men who developed complications after thrombolysis (25% as against 8%); in women these complications were mostly haemorrhages. 25% of the women and 15% of the men died in hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
Women with a myocardial infarction were given thrombolytic treatment about as often as men. There were sex differences regarding the contraindications to thrombolysis and the complications after thrombolysis.
Hulshof
H C
HC
Ziekenhuis De Weezenlanden, afd. Gynaecologie, Zwolle.
Lagro-Janssen
A L
AL
van der Werf
T
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000075202:Contraindications; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome