Safety and tolerance data from the Belgian multicentre study of anisoylated plasminogen streptokinase activator complex versus heparin in acute myocardial infarction.

In the European Multicentre Study (EMS), the safety and efficacy of a single 30U intravenous injection of anisoylated plasminogen streptokinase activator complex (APSAC) was studied in patients with acute myocardial infarction. The present study discusses the Belgian data on safety and tolerance from the EMS study. 87 patients were randomised to treatment with APSAC or heparin. The reperfusion rate was 60.5% (APSAC) versus 20.5% (heparin control), and reocclusion occurred in 21% of the reperfused APSAC patients. Drug-related adverse events consisted of bleeding problems (7 events in patients on APSAC and 1 event in a patient on heparin and moderate allergic reactions (12 events in 9 patients on APSAC and 1 event in a heparin patient). There was 1 drug-related death in the APSAC group (hypovolaemic shock due to central vein puncture during lytic state) which could have been avoided. It is concluded that thrombolytic treatment of acute myocardial infarction with APSAC is effective and safe, as long as the standard precautions for thrombolytic treatment are respected. Bleeding and allergic-type events are infrequent, usually well tolerated and easily treated.