Objectives of thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction.

The objectives of thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction are to restore coronary artery patency, salvage myocardium, reduce infarct size, and facilitate coronary artery repair. Urokinase and streptokinase are the two most frequently used thrombolytic agents. Both dissolve thrombi by converting circulating plasminogen, an inert precursor, into plasmin. One possible advantage of urokinase and streptokinase over new clot-specific agents is that the former have systemic fibrinolytic effects. This reduces blood viscosity and prevents other thrombi from forming. Angiography is the most objective technique for assessing reestablished arterial patency, but being invasive, it present disadvantages. Noninvasive criteria for coronary reperfusion include lowering of elevated ST-segments, shifting creatine kinase isoenzyme MB curves, and the appearance of reperfusion arrhythmias. Techniques for assessing myocardial salvage include thallium uptake, assessment of wall motion and myocardial thickening, ejection fraction, and positron emission tomography to assess infarct size. The role and appropriate timing of coronary artery repair after thrombolytic therapy are being studied.