Haemorheological changes after thrombolytic trea tment with streptokinase in acute myocardial infarction

Ischaemic heart disease and its various clinical manifestations, whether acute or chronic, are shown to be characterized by hyperviscosity syndrome, more evident in the acute than in the chronic phase. In the present study the effect of i.v. Streptokinase (SK) treatment in 13 patients affected by AMI was evaluted; the haemorheological parameters (blood and plasma viscosity, blood filterability, fibrinogen and haematocrit) were measured in basal conditions, at the end of the infusion and 24 hours later. The patients showed high blood and plasma viscosity and low blood filterability in basal conditions. A decrease of blood and plasma viscosity with reduction of fibrinogen was observed at the end of the infusion, associated with an improvement in blood filterability. After 24 hours the haemorheological parameters showed a trend towards basal values without reaching them. On the contrary, 13 patients with AMI who could not undertake SK treatment showed an increase of blood and plasma viscosity and a reduction of blood filterability at the 8th hour lasting until the 24th hour. The haemorheological improvement observed in patients treated with SK may be correlated to the fibrinogenolytic activity of the drug; the results of the present study support the hypothesis that SK may be a useful tool in AMI manegement. © 1995 Elsevier Science Ltd.