RESUMO
Most reports concerning the use of streptokinase (SK) for thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (MI) have employed doses over 1,000,000 units. We evaluated the efficacy of a dose of 500,000 U in 40 patients with acute MI who received full heparin dose before, during and after SK. Thrombolytic effect, as measured by the protamine neutralized thrombin time was shown to be strong in 60% of cases, moderate in 17% and weak in 22%, and this was not modified by larger SK doses. A patent culprit artery was demonstrated at coronary arteriography performed 3 days after SK in 90% of patients. Only one instance of severe bleeding was observed. Thus, a reduced SK dose in association to heparin provides adequate lytic effect and artery patency rate in patients with MI.