title: An early and complete reperfusion strategy for acute myocardial infarction using fibrinolysis and subsequent transluminal therapy--The FAST trial.
abstract: The efficacy and safety of fibrinolysis and subsequent transluminal (FAST) therapy were evaluated in 195 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for the early achievement of thrombolysis-in-myocardial-infarction grade 3 (TIMI-3) flow in the infarct-related artery. Intravenous thrombolysis using the optimal dose of a thrombolytic agent was initiated immediately after arrival in the emergency room, followed by coronary angiography and adjuvant percutaneous coronary intervention. A comparison of the thrombolysis alone (n=83) and thrombolysis plus intervention (n=112) groups showed significant differences in the time interval from hospital arrival to achievement of TIMI-3 flow (66.2+/-23.7 vs 111.6+/-29.6 min, p<0.0001), creatine kinase-MB release (295+/-201 vs 468+/-322 U/L, p=0.0003) and peak troponin T (23.6+/-16.9 vs 38.9+/-25.9 ng/ml, p<0.0001). No significant differences were observed in either 30-day mortality or complications. The TIMI-3 flow at the initial angiography was significantly higher with a single bolus of mutant tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) monteplase than with an accelerated infusion of t-PA (60% vs 32%, p=0.005). In conclusion, the early restoration of TIMI-3 flow by FAST therapy reduced the degree of myocardial damage with a low risk of complications. TIMI-3 flow was achieved at an earlier stage with monteplase and this agent may be beneficial in the FAST therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagao
authors.forename: Nariyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Katsuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanmatsuse
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Tomiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohuba
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion / Q000379:methods; D018579:Patient Selection; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator