10 INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH & OPINION

Thrombolysis underutilised, lives lost

Increasing the use of aspirin + thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction (MI) could save 12000 lives in the US every year, according to a decision analysis model. *

4000 of these are patients for whom thrombolysis is currently recommended, do not receive it. Relative mortality reduction was greatest in these patients . Currently, nearly half of patients for whom thrombolysis is indicated do not receive the treatment.

Even greater reductions in absolute mortality could be achieved by expanding the indications for thrombolytic therapy to include patients aged> 75 years, those with left bundle branch block. and those presenting 6-12 hours after the onset of chest pain. 8000 lives could be saved in this way, investigators said.

Quality of life and resource utilisation aspects were not considered in this analysis, as they had not been rigorously evaluated in the studies used in the model. 800 000 patients are hospitalised for acute Ml in the US every year. * The model evaluated treatment-related outcome for 2 strategies: standard therapy (defined as interventions used in placebo groups of the clinical trials used in the mode/); and standard therapy plus combined aspirin and thrombolytic therapy.

Fendrick AM. Ridker PM. Bloom BS. Improved health benefits of increased use of thrombolytic therapy. Archives of Internal Medicine 154: 1605-16()<j.

25 Jul 1994 "''''' .<2

Current Exchange Rates* FF OM SwF £

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DM 3.427 1 0.834 0.418

SwF 4.109 1.199 1 0.502

£ 8.193 2.391 1.994 1

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Yen oer 100' French Franc oer 10

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0.888

1.065

2.123

1

1.369

1.379

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0.731

1

1.008

"ero s exchange rates for the lected international currencies are as tated in the Financial Times weekend 10/11 Seotember 1994

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153.9

72.49

99.23

100

17 Sep 1994 PHARMACORESOURCES 1172-8299/94/0013-00010/$01 .00'" Adis International Limited 1994. All rights reserved