Is Activase the same as tPA?

There is no antidote for Activase; if a patient experiences severe bleeding during Activase therapy, immediately discontinue treatment and provide supportive therapy such as tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid, or fresh frozen plasma or cryoprecipitate if fibrinogen levels are less than 150mg/dL. Stop all other antiplatelet or anticoagulant treatments and investigate (eg, CT brain, CT abdo/pelvis; FBC, coagulation profile [repeat every 2 hours until bleeding controlled]). Continue reading

How Activase is given or administered depends upon the patient’s weight and what it is being used to treat (such as a stroke, pulmonary embolism, or myocardial infarction. For example, when used to treat a heart attack (myocardial infarction), there are two Activase dose regimens, an accelerated and a 3-hour regimen, with different recommendations depending on if the patient is over 67kg or not. For the accelerated regimen, adults weighing 67 kg or less get a 15 mg IV bolus, followed by 0.75 mg/kg IV (not to exceed 50 mg) infused over 30 minutes, and then 0.5 mg/kg IV (not to exceed 35 mg) over the next 60 minutes Adults greater than or equal to 67 kg get a 15 mg IV bolus, followed by 50 mg IV infused over 30 minutes, and then 35 mg IV infused over the next 60 minutes Continue reading

You can check for heart disease at home by measuring your pulse rate and your blood pressure if you have a blood pressure monitor. To measure your pulse you will need an analog watch (one with a clock face rather than digital numbers) with a second hand. Place your index and middle finger of your hand on the hollow part of your inner wrist of the other arm, just below the base of the thumb. You should feel a tapping or pulse against your fingers, that is your heartbeat. Look at your watch and count the number of taps you feel in 10 seconds. Multiply that number by 6 to find out your heart rate for 1 minute. Continue reading