CONTRAINDICATIONS OF THE THROMBOLYTIC THE RAPY IN ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

In 43 Swiss hospitals, 824 patients have been included in the ISIS-3 t rial with suspected or proven myocardial infarction. Another 504 patie nts with proven myocardial infarction have been excluded for various r easons and have been registered in the study log-book (total 1328 pati ents). The usual clinical contraindications for thrombolysis are liste d and discussed in this paper. 1/3 of those patients excluded from the trial had not received thrombolysis without clear contraindications ( age, diabetes, anticoagulation, candidates for a pace-maker) and anoth er 27 % have had only relative contraindications (resuscitation, punct ure, ulcer pain, hypertension). The new guidelines for thrombolytic th erapy allowed more patients to benefit from this therapy.