Question

A client is admitted to the emergency department with chest pain and doesn't respond to nitroglycerin. The health care team obtains an electrocardiogram and administers I.V. morphine. The health care provider also considers administering alteplase. This thrombolytic agent must be administered how soon after onset of myocardial infarction (MI) symptoms?
A. Within 6 hoursB. Within 12 hoursC. Within 24 to 48 hoursD. Within 5 to 7 days

Answer 1

A. Within 6 hours, Alteplase must be administered.

Explanation:

The client with the above symptoms might be suffering from an acute myocardial infarction,

Altepase is a fibrinolytic and thrombolytic drug which is administered to a patient who has suffered an acute myocardial infarction.

The best time to initiate this treatment is within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms. This is very important to restore the flow of blood in the blood vessel so that it can supply the muscle it provided and energize the muscle cells by supplying oxygen.  

When a clot is formed, Altepase which is a tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) activates plasminogen which forms plasmin. This plasmin will then degrade the fibrin and break the thrombotic clot. The working of Altepase is greatly dependent on the time of administration  

This is administered first as an initial bolus and then via intravenous fusion at varying doses for an hour depending upon the age and weight of the patient.