The fibrinolytic system and use of fibrinolysin in myocardial infarction: Preliminary report

Twenty-eight normal subjects and thirty patients with acute myocardial infarction were studied for spontaneous fibrinolytic activity and antiplasmin activity. No spontaneous fibrinolytic activity was observed in any of these persons. A significantly higher antiplasmin level was noted in the patients with myocardial infarction. Ten subjects with acute myocardial infarction were treated with plasmin infusion. Relief of pain in the chest was noted in eight. Improvement in the T wave and S-T segments observed in five patients immediately following the infusion might be attributed to the infusion. The most common undesirable reaction was pyrexia, which occurred in five patients. Chills, flushes and headache were relatively common. Occasionally, nausea and mild hypotension were also observed. Though the hypotensive and other undesirable side effects deter routine use of this drug in the management of myocardial infarction, the results obtained are encouraging and warrant further observations in a larger series.