Acute thrombosis of highly stenosed coronary arteries often results in acute myocardial infarction. The rationale for thrombolytic therapy is to restore blood flow before irreversible myocardial cell damage develops. In this review the results of more than 60 interventional studies in which reperfusion or "patency" rates, left ventricular function, infarct size, as well as intrahospital and long-term mortality following thrombolytic therapy were assessed, are reported and analyzed with respect to the patterns of applying thrombolytic therapy (different thrombotic agents and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty). The results show that a significant reduction in infarct size, improvement in left ventricular function, and decrease in early- as well as late-mortality can be achieved when successful recanalization is established within four hours after onset of symptoms. Thrombolytic efficacy with respect to patency rates is highest after intravenous application of so-called fibrin-selective thrombolytic agents (rt-PA) and APSAC (71% and 73%), intracoronary application of streptokinase (69%), and primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (88%). By contrast, intravenous infusion of streptokinase results in recanalization of only 56% of occluded vessels. However, the improved reperfusion rates after treatment with rt-PA or intracoronary application of streptokinase are associated with a relatively high incidence of reocclusion (up to 20%). Patients' prognosis after successful initial thrombolysis is essentially influenced by additional interventions, e.g., percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and surgical revascularisation. At present, several questions about the ideal thrombolytic agents or the optimal timing of additional interventions need to be clarified. Further studies are necessary to answer these questions.