How crucial is time from symptom onset to thrombolytic treatment?

The relationships between patient characteristics, time to treatment, and outcomes were evaluated in a study of 41,021 acute myocardial infarction patients given thrombolytic agents. As time to treatment increased, a corresponding increase in mortality and morbidity occurred. Baseline characteristics associated with higher mortality were in general also associated with longer times to treatment. Earlier thrombolysis is associated with better outcomes, with the best results occurring when time to treatment after symptom onset is less than two hours.

Duke Scholars

Author Laura Kristin Newby Medicine, Cardiology