RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Only one third of patients who have suffered a myocardial infarction can benefit from thrombolytic treatment in the daily clinic practice. The aim of this study is to know the percentage of patients who were treated in a General Hospital and the main exclusion causes to receive thrombolytic treatment. METHODS: A descriptive study in patients with infarction who were admitted to the Critical Care Unit of a 550 beds Hospital between September-95 and August-96. RESULTS: 188 patients were admitted with suspicion of myocardial infarction. The 50.53% of them received thrombolytic treatment. The main exclusion causes to receive this treatment were: delay of the patient (18.10%), normal ECG or descended ST (16.50%), contraindications (8%), patient's refusal to receive treatment (0.53%) an uncertain indication of therapy (6.40%). CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of patients received thrombolytic therapy, maybe because these drugs can be used until 12 hours the infarction and they haven't limit of age.
