Explanation of thrombolysis

Dialogue between Doctor, Joan and Partner

1. Dr: Joan, you are having a heart attack. Your heart tracing shows that one of your main heart arteries has been blocked by a blood clot. We need to dissolve that blood clot by giving you a treatment called thrombolysis.
2. Joan: What is Thrombolysis?
   Dr: Thrombolysis is a ‘Clot Buster’ and is administered to dissolve the clot in order to reduce the damage to the affected heart muscle.
3. Dr: The ECG shows that a main coronary artery supplying the heart has been affected and needs to be re-opened by thrombolysis and investigated further by performing a Coronary Angiogram and possible PCI.
4. Joan: Are there any risks to thrombolysis?
   Dr: Yes, there are risks associated with this treatment that we will need to discuss prior to you receiving this. But it is a treatment that is very well established.
5. Question from Partner: What’s going to happen next?
   Dr: We plan to transfer Joan to the interventional centre where she can be more closely monitored and given any further treatment if needed.