Prehospital fibrinolysis with timely coronary angiography resulted in effective reperfusion in patients with early STEMI who could not undergo primary PCI within 1 hour after the first medical contact. However, fibrinolysis was associated with a slightly increased risk of intracranial bleeding. (Funded by Boehringer Ingelheim; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00623623.).

. In-hospital care and events up to 6 months were assessed. At least 2 clinicians involved in patient care estimated the untreated risk and change in risk with each therapy. Physician risk assessment and objective risk measures (eg, Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events [GRACE] score) for death, death/myocardial infarction, and bleeding events were compared using the c statistic and integrated discrimination improvement. In total, 1542 patients and 4230 patient-specific physician estimates were obtained.

In patients who died from cardiovascular causes, mTWA, and TO values were significantly higher and TS values were significantly lower than in survivors, and the subgroup with SCD was characterized by significantly increased mTWA and TO values and decreased TS values. mTWA > 53.5 mcV at 100 b.p.m. was an independent significant predictor of SCD and increased risk of SCD by five-fold.

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A PI strategy of early fibrinolysis more frequently aborts MI than primary PCI. Such PI patients had more favourable outcomes as compared with non-AbMIs. Diligent review of ECG evolution in STEMI distinguishes AbMI from infarct masquerade. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00623623.