II. Mechanism
- Activates plasminogen to form plasmin
- Plasmin digests Fibrin and dissolves clot
III. Indications
-
Myocardial Infarction Protocol
- Symptoms present for under 12 hours
-
ST Segment Elevation
- Two anatomically contiguous leads
- Elevation > 0.1 mV (1 mm when EKG 10 mm/1 mV)
- Under Age 75 (no absolute age cut-off)
- Absence of other disease to explain symptoms
- Ischemic Cerebrovascular Accident
- See Ischemic CVA Management
IV. Efficacy
-
Myocardial Infarction mortality
- Reduced 25% if Thrombolytic given in first 6 hours
- Thrombolytics are 75% effective revascularization
V. Contraindications: Absolute
- Active Internal Bleeding
- Suspect Aortic Dissection
- Known Traumatic Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Severe Hypertension despite Medication (>180/110)
- Major Intracranial Events
- Recent Head Trauma or intracranial neoplasm
- Known Arteriovenous Malformation or aneurysm
- Intracranial Hemorrhage on CT (CVA protocol)
- High suspicion SAH despite normal CT (CVA protocol)
- Cerebrovascular Accident (or TIA) in last 6 months
- Major surgery within last 14 days
- Highest risk surgeries for post-op bleeding: Brain or Spine Surgery
- Risk of major Hemorrhage within 1 week of surgery: 50%
- Risk of major Hemorrhage within 1-2 weeks of surgery: 20%
- Pregnancy
- Risk of bleeding 2.6%
- Consider in life-threatening massive Pulmonary Embolism if not near term
- Gartman (2013) Obstet Med 6:105-11 [PubMed]
VI. Contraindications: Relative
- Recent Trauma or major surgery in last 2 months
- Initial presenting BP > 180/110, but controlled now
- Peptic Ulcer Disease
- Remote history of Cerebrovascular Accident
- Known Bleeding Disorder
- Renal disease
- Prolonged Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Streptokinase in last 6 months
VII. Medications
- Non-clot selective Thrombolytic agents
- Streptokinase
- Urokinase
- AniStreplase (anisoylated plasminogen Streptokinase)
- STAR (Recombinant Staphylokinase)
- Clot-Specific Thrombolytic agents (bind Fibrin and then activate plasminogen to plasmin)
- Recombinant Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)
- Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA)
- Serine protease binds Fibrin and activates Fibrin-bound plasminogen to plasmin
- Plasmin breaks down both Fibrin and Fibrinogen to Fibrin
- Fibrin Degradation Products result, which in turn also act to inhibit Fibrin formation
- tPA has been replaced by recombinant products (r-tPA)
- tPA was originally synthesized and extracted from cultured mammalian cells
- Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator (r-tPA)
- Alteplase (Activase)
- Reteplase (Retavase)
- Tenecteplase (TNKase, TNK tPA)
- Adjunctive Heparin (in acute Myocardial Infarction)
- Used in combination with Thrombolytic
- Contraindications to adjunctive Heparin
- Discharge from major surgery with prior 14 days
- History of Cerebrovascular Accident
- Chronic Atrial Fibrillation
- Chronic Mitral Stenosis
- Acute Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
- Cases where adjunctive Heparin is most beneficial
- Acute anterior Myocardial Infarction
- Left ventricular thrombus by Echocardiogram
VIII. Adverse Effects
- Bleeding
- Rescue agents for Thrombolytic-related life threatening bleeding (e.g. Intracranial Hemorrhage)
- See Emergent Reversal of Anticoagulation
- Not reduced by clot-specific agents
- Consider infusing Fibrinogen Concentrate or Cryoprecipitate 10 pack
- Consider Fresh Frozen Plasma
- Consider Tranexamic Acid (TXA)
- Swaminathan and Weingart in Herbert (2020) EMRap 20(4):5-6
- Overall bleeding (Incidence: 20-25%)
- Occurs at catheter puncture sites most often
- Major bleeding (Incidence: 5-10%)
- Gastrointestinal Tract
- Retroperitoneum
- Intracranial Hemorrhage (1-2% of cases)
- Occurs more often with bolus than with infusion
- Rescue agents for Thrombolytic-related life threatening bleeding (e.g. Intracranial Hemorrhage)
- Acute Myocardial Infarction specific effects
- Reperfusion Chest Pain
- Reperfusion Arrhythmia
- Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm
- Sinus Bradycardia
- Second or third degree AV Block
- Hypotension (Streptokinase)
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Allergic Reactions or Anaphylaxis (Streptokinase)