The diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Lesser BA, Leeper KV, Stein PD, et al. Chest 102:17–22 Jul 1992
✍ Scribed by Scott W McCulloch
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 1992
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 122 KB
- Volume
- 21
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1097-6760
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✦ Synopsis
were analyzed for evidence of stroke occurring during their hospitalization. Patients received either streptekinase or recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and subcutaneous heparin or no heparin. Ninety-one percent of the patients also received aspirin. A small but significant increase in the incidence of stroke (1.33% versus 0.94%) was observed in patients receiving t-PA versus streptokinase. No difference in incidence was noted when subcutaneous heparin was used. Anterior infarction, a higher Killip class, and older age increased the risk of stroke, while the use of aspirin lowered the risk. The authors conclude that thrombolytic therapy in the setting of acute myocardial infarction imparts a small risk of stroke and that risk is slightly greater when t-PA is used compared with streptokinase. The use of subcutaneous heparin does not increase the risk.