Intravenous short-term infusion of streptokinase in acute myocardial infarction.

Clinically encouraging results can be obtained with an intravenous high dosage, short-term infusion of streptokinase in patients with evolving myocardial infarction. The feasibility and efficacy of the systemic approach of streptokinase therapy is discussed in this report and includes topics such as recanalization success rate, restoration of coronary blood flow, residual coronary artery lesions, salvage of jeopardized myocardium, time limits of effective reperfusion, transluminal angioplasty, coronary bypass surgery, and mortality. The value of high dosage intravenous short-term streptokinase infusion needs to be assessed with properly designed clinical trials.