Drug Method May Help Heart Attack Victims

Cardiologists may have found a more efficient way to administer a clot-dissolving drug to heart attack victims, perhaps improving their chances of survival, researchers said Sunday.

Doctors at Rhode Island Hospital found that giving large initial doses of the drug TPA to patients quickly is more effective than pumping it into the body over several hours, researchers said.

They are seeking federal approval to have paramedics experiment with the intravenous “push” method to increase a heart attack victim’s chance of survival while en route to a hospital.