Streptokinase is used to dissolve blood clots that have formed in the blood vessels. It is used immediately after symptoms of a heart attack

How do you give a streptokinase injection?

Instill 250,000 IU Streptokinase in 2 mL of solution into each occluded limb of the cannula slowly. Clamp off cannula limb(s) for 2 hours. Observe the patient closely for possible adverse effects. After treatment, aspirate contents of infused cannula limb(s), flush with saline, reconnect cannula.

What is streptokinase side effects?

Acute allergic reactions to SK ranged from minor dyspnea, urticaria, pruritus, flushing, nausea, headache, or musculoskeletal pain to severe anaphylaxis, bronchospasm, or periorbital or angioneurotic edema. SK-induced fever has been reported in 30% to 50% of patients.

How does streptokinase work?

Streptokinase creates an active complex which promotes the cleavage of the Arg/Val bond in plasminogen to form the proteolytic enzyme plasmin. Plasmin in turn degrades the fibrin matrix of the thrombus, thereby exerting its thrombolytic action.

What are the disadvantages of streptokinase?

The most problematic is its anticoagulant effect lasting more than 24 hours after its administration and simultaneous increase in prothrombotic activity, which is a disadvantage if intervention treatment methods are appropriate (direct coronary angioplasty).

Why is streptokinase important?

Streptokinase (SK) is a thrombolytic medication and enzyme. As a medication it is used to break down clots in some cases of myocardial infarction (heart attack), pulmonary embolism, and arterial thromboembolism. The type of heart attack it is used in is an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Why is streptokinase given?

Streptokinase is used to dissolve blood clots that have formed in the blood vessels. It is used immediately after symptoms of a heart attack occur to improve patient survival. This medicine may also be used to treat blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) and in the legs (deep venous thrombosis) .

When is streptokinase given?

Streptokinase treatment should be initiated as soon as possible after thrombotic event onset, preferably within 7 days. The loading dose is recommended to neutralize any anti-streptokinase antibodies which may be present.

How do you give streptokinase to a pulmonary embolism?

Current guidelines on streptokinase in the treatment of massive pulmonary embolism state that it should be given as a loading dose of 250 000 IU over 20–30 min followed by an infusion of 100 000 IU/h intravenously for up to 24 h.

What is the most important complication of streptokinase therapy?

The hemorrhagic stroke as the most serious ADR of streptokinase was documented in three patients.

Article first time published on

Can streptokinase cause bleeding?

In the treatment of acute myocardial infarction with intravenous Streptokinase, the GISSI and ISIS-2 studies reported a rate of major bleeding (requiring transfusion) of 0.3-0.5%. However, rates as high as 16% have been reported in studies which required administration of anticoagulants and invasive procedures.

How do you use streptokinase in MI?

The adult dose of streptokinase for AMI is 1.5 million U in 50 mL of 5% dextrose in water (D5W) given IV over 60 minutes. Allergic reactions force the termination of many infusions before a therapeutic dose can be administered.

Why is streptokinase not used in strokes?

Studies of streptokinase in acute stroke were stopped due to an increase in mortality compared to placebo due to increased haemorrhage rates.

Why is tPA so expensive?

Further, tPA is expensive. The drug, developed by Genentech, has no generic competition, and a 100 milligram vial used in a typical treatment can cost more than $8,300. It also needs to be refrigerated, a challenge for clinics in some parts of the world.

Can streptokinase be given twice?

Streptokinase usually cannot be administered safely a second time within 6 months, because it is highly antigenic and results in high levels of antistreptococcal antibodies.

What is the brand name for streptokinase?

BRAND NAME(S): Kabikinase, Streptase. USES: This medication is an enzyme which works to break up and dissolve blood clots which can block arteries. It is used in the treatment of heart attack or lung blood clots (pulmonary embolism) as well as leg blood clots (deep venous thrombosis-DVT).

How much does streptokinase cost?

The Red Book average wholesale price of 1.5 million units of streptokinase was $320; the price of 100 mg of t-PA was $2,750.

Is streptokinase a bacteria?

Streptokinase (SK) is a bacterial protein that consists of three plasminogen-binding domains, although none can activate plasminogen independently.

Why is streptokinase Antigenic?

Streptokinase is a widely used thrombolytic agent. Because it is a foreign bacterial protein, it is antigenic. Antibodies to streptokinase develop within 3 to 4 days of administration, reaching a peak about 2 weeks later.

What type of enzyme is streptokinase?

Streptokinase is an enzyme produced by many strains of β-haemolytic streptococci isolated naturally from upper respiratory tract and is used to dissolve the fibrin matrix of blood clots, especially those in the arteries of the heart and lungs.

What is the use of lipase and streptokinase enzyme?

(i) Lipase: Used in detergent formulations and helps in removing oily stains from laundry. (ii) Lactic acid: Converts milk into curd. (iii) Streptokinase: Used as ‘clot-buster’ for removing clots from blood vessels of patients who have undergone myocardial infarction.

What is the meaning of thrombolytic?

Listen to pronunciation. (throm-BOL-ih-sis) The process of breaking up a thrombus (blood clot) that is blocking blood flow. The blood clot may be dissolved using drugs delivered through a catheter (tube) into the clot.

What is a thrombolytic drug?

Thrombolytic therapy is the use of drugs to break up or dissolve blood clots, which are the main cause of both heart attacks and stroke.

Can streptokinase cause stroke?

Treatment with t-PA as compared with streptokinase resulted in a small but significant excess of stroke. Subcutaneous heparin, given together with t-PA or streptokinase and aspirin, did not result in an increased risk of stroke.

What are the side effects of alteplase?

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• low blood pressure (hypotension),
• dizziness,
• mild fever, or.
• allergic reactions (swelling, rash, hives).

How do I give STK?

Local intracoronary administration: A bolus of 20,000 IU streptokinase should be followed by a maintenance infusion of 2,000 IU to 4,000 IU per minute over 30 to 90 minutes depending on the achievement of coronary artery patency. The administration of streptokinase may be intravenous or intracoronary.

Is streptokinase a tPA?

Two thrombolytic agents, streptokinase and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), are now widely available for clinical use. These agents have different effects, and there has been considerable debate as to which is superior. Both are effective in preserving myocardial function and reducing mortality.

Who discovered streptokinase?

The streptokinase era dates back to 1933, when Dr. William Smith Tillett19 (Fig. 1) discovered the agent through sheer serendipity. Tillett was Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Biological Division at Johns Hopkins University, at that time.

Do you give aspirin with tPA?

Administration of aspirin is recommended in acute stroke patients within 24-48 hours after stroke onset. For patients treated with IV tPA, aspirin administration is generally delayed for 24 hours.

Who Cannot receive thrombolytic?

Thrombolytic therapy cannot be recommended for persons excluded from the NINDS Study6 for one of the following reasons: (1) current use of oral anticoagulants or a prothrombin time greater than 15 seconds (International Normalized Ratio [INR] greater than 1.7); (2) use of heparin in the previous 48 hours and a …

When do you give rtPA?

Based on the results of the ECASS III and SITS-ISTR trials, the AHA/ASA published a science advisory statement in 2009 recommending that rtPA should be administered to eligible patients within 3 to 4.5 hours after onset of stroke symptoms (Class I, Level B evidence) (13).