C. Ellicott et al., CORONARY-CARE FOLLOW-UP-STUDY - ACUTE CARE REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THROMBOLYTIC THERAPY, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 86(6), 1993, pp. 324-327
We carried out a prospective survey of the outcome of patients with 's
uspected myocardial infarction', in order to determine where they shou
ld be nursed. The delay between onset, admission, transfer to the CCU,
the sequelae and side-effects of thrombolytic therapy were noted and
were documented prospectively. Of 217 admissions to CCU with a history
of chest pain and suspected acute myocardial infarction during a four
-month period (mean age was 62.8 years range 31 to 86 years) 202 fulfi
lled the criteria for suspected myocardial infarction. Streptokinase w
as given in 129 and alteplase in one patient. The delay between onset
of pain and admission was < 4 h in 73, 4 to 12 h in 30 and > 12 h in 2
3. Elderly patients were just as likely as younger ones to receive thr
ombolytic therapy (Chi2=3.6; P=0.6). An eventual diagnosis of acute my
ocardial infarction was made in 133 of whom 100 received streptokinase
. Dysrhythmia or shock was encountered in one-third of those given str
eptokinase and a quarter of the remainder. Reactions to streptokinase
were recorded in 32 mainly hypotension or bradycardia alone or in comb
ination. Forty-five per cent experienced either cardiac complications
or drug reactions or both. During one month there were 57 admissions,
50 of whom arrived by ambulance. The mean delay between call out and a
rrival in the A&E department was 55 min. We concluded patients who are
given thrombolytic therapy need close supervision and they should be
nursed in a CCU or its equivalent.