Streptokinase and Myocardial Infarction

The results of several multicenter studies on the treatment of acute myocardial infarction with streptokinase are now in. Although the results are variable and, when all of the trials are considered, the impact on overall mortality is rather small, the report appearing in today's Journal suggests that a subgroup of "medium-risk" patients benefit from fibrinolytic therapy. Streptokinase activates the plasminogen that is bound to fibrin in a thrombus and leads to lysis of the clot. This compound is not given to dissolve the clot that may have caused the acute infarction, because irreversible damage of myocardial tissue occurs 30 to . . .