What effect does early intravenous heparin have on coronary patency, infarct size, and bleeding complications after alteplase thrombolysis?
A randomized double blind European Cooperative Study Group trial conducted by de Bono et al. in 2002 found that early intravenous heparin had a positive effect on coronary patency, infarct size, and bleeding complications after alteplase thrombolysis. The study found that early intravenous heparin improves the speed of coronary artery recanalization, reduces infarct size, and reduces the risk of bleeding complications compared to not using heparin. This study supports the role of heparin in coronary thrombolysis as discussed by Eisenberg (1992).  