BACKGROUND Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is more effective on average than fibrinolytic therapy in the treatment of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. Yet, most US hospitals are not equipped for PCI, and fibrinolytic therapy is still widely used. This study evaluated the comparative effectiveness of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction regionalization strategie...

Intrapleural instillation of thrombolytic agents has been useful in the treatment of hemothorax when thoracostomy tube drainage is unsuccessful. We present a patient who developed acute hypoxemic respiratory failure following the intrapleural instillation of both streptokinase and urokinase 24 h apart. Hypoxemia most likely resulted from a direct effect of the products of fibrinolysis on the pu...

Primary hydatid cyst of the spleen with intrapleural rupture is rarely reported. Herein, we present an elderly woman who admitted with empyema due to intrapleural rupture of primary hydatid cyst where cytological examination of the pleural fluid with cell block method has facilitated the diagnosis.

There are an estimated 500,000 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) events in the U.S. annually. Despite improvements in care, up to one-third of patients presenting with STEMI within 12 h of symptom onset still receive no reperfusion therapy acutely. Clinical studies indicate that speed of reperfusion after infarct onset may be more important than whether pharmacologic or mechani...

OBJECTIVES We conducted a retrospective multi-institutional study to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of intraperitoneal or intrapleural triamcinolone acetonide (TA), a slowly metabolized corticosteroid administration for the management of malignant ascites or pleural effusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS The medical records of patients with gynecologic cancer who were treated with paracentesis o...

This chapter about fibrinolytic, antiplatelet, and antithrombin treatment for acute ST-segment elevation (STE) myocardial infarction (MI) is part of the American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines (8th Edition). Grade 1 recommendations are strong and indicate that the benefits do, or do not, outweigh risks, burden, and costs. Grade 2 suggests that individual...

Brooks NH, et al. ACC/AHA Guidelines for the management of patients with acute myocardial infarction. A comparison of immediate angioplasty with thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction: the Primary Angioplasty in Myocar-dial Infarction Study Group. A comparison of thrombolytic therapy with primary coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction: Myocardial Infarction Tri-Clini...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacogenetic role of the factor XIII (FXIII) valine 34 leucine (Val34Leu) polymorphism in the fibrinolytic therapy of acute myocardial infarction (MI). BACKGROUND Fibrinolytic therapy is an established treatment for acute MI, but up to 40% of treated patients do not achieve optimal tissue reperfusion. The FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism is o...