Effectiveness of intravenous streptokinase on infarct size and left ventricular function in acute myocardial infarction, prospective and randomized study

Abstract

Within 3 h after the onset of symptoms of myocardial infarction, 64 patients were randomly assigned to receive either a 1‐h intravenous infusion of 1,500,000 IU of streptokinase (SK) or a conventional therapy. Infarct size was estimated in CK gram equivalent (CKg) by measurement of CK‐MB every 3 hours during a 48‐h period. Enzymatic study revealed that myocardial infarction of the SK group was significantly smaller (61.4±45 vs. 89.4±56 CKg, p< .05). Angiograms were performed at early stage and five weeks after myocardial infarction. At first coronary angiogram, the infarct‐related vessel was open in 82% in the SK group versus 12% in controls. The SK group had higher global ejection fraction at second angiogram (57±11% vs. 49±11%,