A Comparison of Continuous Infusion of Alteplase with Double-Bolus Administration for Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Accelerated infusion of alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator) over a period of 90 minutes induces more rapid lysis of coronary-artery thrombi than a 3-hour infusion. With two bolus doses of alteplase, further shortening the duration of administration, complete reperfusion was achieved in more than 85 percent of the patients in initial angiographic studies. We tested the hypothesis that double-bolus alteplase is at least as effective as accelerated infusion.