Hemodynamic and angiographic findings in patients with pulmonary embolism treated with streptokinase.

patients treated with streptokinase, one of seven treated with Arvin, and two of seven given heparin. Streptokinase was shown to cause extensive dissolution of thrombi in all but two of the 12 patients studied, sometimes within 12 hours but in one patient not until after six days of continuous infusion. Methods and aims of laboratory control were discussed (Kakkar et al, 1969) and the side effects of each treatment described. Two fatal cases of retroperitoneal haemorrhage occurred in the heparin-treated group. There was only one other case of severe bleeding, an increased menstrual flow in a patient receiving streptokinase, and this was easily controlled. Most of the patients given streptokinase, but not those in the other groups, developed a pyrexia sometimes with rigors. One patient suffered a serious allergic reaction after a small part of the loading dose of streptokinase had been given; this responded to an antihistamine and hydrocortisone and the infusion was continued with ultimately complete dissolution of the thrombus. Full results of the trial will be reported elsewhere.