TNK-tPA for acute myocardial infarction: the clinical experience
Pislaru, S.V.; Van de Werf, F.
Thrombosis and Haemostasis 82(Suppl 1): 117-120
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0340-6245 PMID: 10695500 Document Number: 501528
Thrombolytic therapy has become the mainstay of treatment for acute transmural myocardial infarction. Present fibrinolytic regimens have a number of shortcomings, including the failure to induce early and sustained reperfusion in as many as 40-50% of the patients, and to prevent reocclusion in another 10-20% of the patients. The efforts for improving thrombolysis are focused on the development of new agents (fibrinolytics, anticoagulants, and antiplatelet agents). TNK-tPA is a triple combination mutant of wild-type tissue plasminogen activator that exhibits a longer plasma half-life, an enhanced fibrin-specificity, and an increased resistance to the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. This paper summarizes the results of clinical trials with TNK-tPA in acute myocardial infarction.