PATIENTS AND METHOD: Prehospital thrombolysis was performed on 93 patients during a time period of 6 years (3/1992 to 9/1998) in an urban area. Thrombolysis with rt-PA (20 mg rt-PA bolus, 30 minute infusion with 30 mg rt-PA) could be started within 2 hours after the onset of symptoms in 67 patients (73.6%). RESULTS: The time gain from prehospital thrombolysis amounted to 38 +/- 14 minutes. Bleeding complications were not observed in the prehospital setting, but 2 patients suffered from intracerebral hemorrhage subsequently and died in the hospital. An aborted infarction (CKmax < 200 U/l and no new Q-waves) was observed in 18 patients (20%) and another 23 patients (25%) had a limitation of infarct size (CKmax < 500 U/l or no new Q-waves) despite obvious signs of myocardial ischemia in the first ECG. CONCLUSION: Our experience demonstrates a considerable time gain for prehospital thrombolysis even for an urban area. Accelerated rt-PA is a safe and comfortable thrombolysis regime.
PATIENTS AND METHOD: Prehospital thrombolysis was performed on 93 patients during a time period of 6 years (3/1992 to 9/1998) in an urban area. Thrombolysis with rt-PA (20 mg rt-PA bolus, 30 minute infusion with 30 mg rt-PA) could be started within 2 hours after the onset of symptoms in 67 patients (73.6%). RESULTS: The time gain from prehospital thrombolysis amounted to 38 +/- 14 minutes. Bleeding complications were not observed in the prehospital setting, but 2 patients suffered from intracerebral hemorrhage subsequently and died in the hospital. An aborted infarction (CKmax < 200 U/l and no new Q-waves) was observed in 18 patients (20%) and another 23 patients (25%) had a limitation of infarct size (CKmax < 500 U/l or no new Q-waves) despite obvious signs of myocardial ischemia in the first ECG. CONCLUSION: Our experience demonstrates a considerable time gain for prehospital thrombolysis even for an urban area. Accelerated rt-PA is a safe and comfortable thrombolysis regime.
Authors: W J Rogers; D S Baim; J M Gore; B G Brown; R Roberts; D O Williams; J H Chesebro; J D Babb; F H Sheehan; F J Wackers Journal: Circulation Date: 1990-05 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: W D Weaver; M Cerqueira; A P Hallstrom; P E Litwin; J S Martin; P J Kudenchuk; M Eisenberg Journal: JAMA Date: 1993-09-08 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: C L Grines; K F Browne; J Marco; D Rothbaum; G W Stone; J O'Keefe; P Overlie; B Donohue; N Chelliah; G C Timmis Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1993-03-11 Impact factor: 91.245