The Strategic Reperfusion Early After Myocardial Infarction (STREAM) study

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2010.04.007 Byline: Paul W. Armstrong (a), Anthony Gershlick (b), Patrick Goldstein (c), Robert Wilcox (d), Thierry Danays (e), Erich Bluhmki (f), Frans Van de Werf (g) Abstract: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has emerged as the preferred therapy for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) provided it is performed in a timely fashion at an expert 24/7 facility. Fibrinolysis is a well-accepted alternative, especially in patients presenting early after symptom onset. The STREAM study will provide novel information on whether prompt fibrinolysis at first medical contact, followed by timely catheterization or rescue coronary intervention in STEMI patients presenting within 3 hours of symptom onset, represents an appropriate alternative strategy to primary PCI. Author Affiliation: (a) University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (b) University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom (c) Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire de Lille, Lille, France (d) Nottingham University Hospital, Nottingham, United Kingdom (e) Boehringer-Ingelheim, Reims, France (f) Boehringer-Ingelheim, Biberach, Germany (g) University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium Article History: Received 22 February 2010; Accepted 5 April 2010 Article Note: (footnote) Clinical Trial Identifier: NCT00623623 on clinicaltrials.gov.