A wonderful new substance, which dissolves blood clots in a matter of hours, was discussed here Friday by one of the nation's leading cardiologists.
Dr. John S. LaDue, New York city, said the substance is a fibrinolytic enzyme, which will soon be available generally.
"It has been tried out experimentally on hundreds of animals," , added the cardiologist, who is associate professor of clinical medicine, Cornell university medical school.
"It has also been tried out on about 100 human patients following an attack of coronary thrombosis. It has proved effective experimentally on hundreds of other humans suffering from phlebitis or arterial emboli."
CAREFUL SUPERVISION
Dr. La Due is a featured speaker at scientific sessions which the | Louisiana Heart Association is conducting for nurses and physicians, the sessions got under way Friday at the Tulane university and Louisiana State university medical schools. They will close Saturday;
In discussing the new enzyme which dissolves blood clots, Dr. LaDue said in cases of a coronary it should be used within two hours after the attack.
In all cases, he added, it should be used only under careful laboratory and medical supervision. The cardiologist said an over-dose could result in a serious hemorrhage. An under-dose, he ex-plained, could mean the clot wouldn't be dissolved.
Dr. LaDue said between 200,000 and 250,000 people die each year] from coronary thrombosis. The enzyme, given intravenously, he explained, permits flow of blood through an, obstructed blood vessel in the arms, the legs or even the heart. In some cases it's a life-saver.
NURSES PART DISCUSSED
Dr. LaDue said the clot is generally dissolved in between two and four hours. Anti-coagulants, he reminded, do not effect clots already formed. They are used to help keep clots from forming.
Another speaker told nurses attending the scientific sessions that there's a lot more to nursing a heart patient "than just giving
Viim hie m origin© "
Miss Florence "Ullman, Was ington D. C, said listening to t fears and anxieties of a cardiac is just as important as listening to his heartbeats. Miss Ullman is public health nursing consultant in heart disease control research program, US Public Health Service.
She said a nurse is an impor-i tant part of a cardiac treatment team. It is the nurse, she explained, who gives the patient his heart medicine. So it is the nurse who can watch the patient's reaction to the medicine and report the reaction to the heart specialist.
GIVES REPORT TO DOCTOR
Miss Ullman said the public health nurse follows the patient into his home after he has been dismissed from the hospital.
"Sometimes a doctor will tell a heart patient he is strong enough to return to work. But the patient's family is apprehensive, don't want him to return. Soon this apprehension is transferred to, the patient. He becomes tense, jit-1 tery. The doctor doesn't know why. But a smart public health nurse soon finds out. Once again she imparts her information to the doctor."
Mrs. Roxine Schmidt, nurse consultant, heart control program, Louisiana state board of health, presided at Fridav's sessions. PHOTO:DR. JOHN S. LADUE
