[Time peak of creatine kinase activity in various sites of myocardial infarct]

The authors studied the differences in the period of time spanning the onset of anginous pain and the peak of plasma creatine kinase activity in different areas of the left ventricle in patients with acute myocardial infarction. The patients were given either intravenous or intracoronary thrombolytic agents. The involvement of different areas of the cardiac muscle had a major effect on the lenght of time until the peak of creatine kinase activity was reached. This reduces the significance of this parameter which as so far been seen as a noninvasive indicator of the patency of the artery supplying the site of the infarction. The authors also refer to other familiar factors likely to alter the role of this parameter.