What are the complications of streptokinase-mediated reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction?
Streptokinase therapy for acute myocardial infarction is associated with hemorrhagic complications and reperfusion arrhythmias.
ComplicationsThe most common complications of streptokinase-mediated reperfusion are myocardial and systemic hemorrhage and reperfusion arrhythmias. Hemorrhagic infarction has been reported in patients who died after receiving streptokinase therapy for acute myocardial infarction.69 In these patients, as in laboratory animals, hemorrhage is confined to the area of myocellular necrosis. Hemorrhagic infarction undoubtedly also occurs in streptokinase-treated survivors of acute myocardial infarction, and there is no evidence that it has a detrimental effect on the outcome of infarction.In properly selected patients,34 hemorrhagic complications are generally confined to hematoma formation at the site of arterial punctures and localized oozing at venipuncture . . .
Laffel et al. (1984) studied this question.