Ejection fraction and mortality rate of patients with isolated acute inferior myocardial infarction reperfused by streptokinase

<br /><strong>BACKGROUND</strong>: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of streptokinase on left ventricular<br />ejection fraction and mortality rate of patients with inferior acute myocardial infarction (AMI)<br />without right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI).<br />METHODS: Fifty five consecutive patients with the diagnosis of inferior AMI without RVMI in<br />the coronary care unit (CCU) of Shariati Hospital in Isfahan were selected for this study.<br />Patients who had a history and/or electrocardiogram (ECG) evidence of previous myocardial<br />infarction, evidence of bundle branch block, historical or clinical findings of valvular or other<br />non-coronary heart diseases or heart failure were excluded. Participants were divided into two<br />groups. Group one (n = 28) had no contraindication for taking thrombolytic therapy and group<br />two (n = 27) had at least one contraindication for this treatment. Patients in group one took<br />1,000,000 units streptokinase for one hour. Three days later, LVEF of all participants was<br />measured by an experienced cardiologist using 2-dimentiona1 echocardiography. Patients were<br />followed up until four weeks to assess the mortality rate.<br /><strong>RESULTS</strong>: One death in the first 24 hours was reported in group one. However, no death was<br />reported in any group until four weeks after discharge. There was no significant difference in<br />mortality rate during the first 24 hours and four weeks after discharge between the two groups.<br />Mean LVEF in the two groups did not show any significant difference (P = 0.21).<br /><strong>CONCLUSION</strong>: Probably streptokinase has no effects on one-month mortality rate and LVEF in<br />patients with inferior AMI without RVMI. Therefore, streptokinase side effects must be taken<br />into consideration when being administered for this group of patients.<br /><strong>Keywords</strong>: Inferior Acute Myocardial Infarction, Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction,<br />Streptokinase, Mortality Rat