ABSTRACT
Extensive experience in clinical trials has shown the superiority of recombinant tissue
plasminogen activator (t-PA) over streptokinase and has led to the concept that the ideal
thrombolytic should be easy and rapid to administer, be fibrin-specific (so as not to induce a
systemic lytic state), not be inhibited by endogenous inhibitors (e.g., PAI-1), and have a more
favorable safety profile (i.e., less intracranial hemorrhage) than tissue plasminogen activator.
