Abstract: A method for predicting the clinical outcome for a patient after the patient has received therapy for an acute coronary syndrome such as myocardial infarction comprises: (a) optionally, but preferably, detecting a first variable comprising a serum creatine kinase-MB release curve area in the patient after initiation of said therapy; (b) detecting a second variable comprising a serum creatine kinase-MB release curve maxima in the patient after initiation of said therapy; then (c) optionally, but preferably, detecting a third variable comprising the slope of the descending portion of the serum creatine kinase-MB release curve after initiation of said therapy (wherein a steep slope for said descending portion is a more favorable indicator of clinical outcome than a shallow slope); and (d) generating a prediction of clinical outcome for said patient from the variables collected above.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of diagnosing the presence of a persistent occlusion in a myocardial infarct patient undergoing thrombolytic therapy. The method comprises detecting a series of five variables from the patient and then generating the probability of the presence of a persistent occlusion from those variables. The first variable comprises a serum creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) level from a patient at the onset of thrombolytic therapy. The second variable comprises a second CK-MB level in the patient at a predetermined time after the onset of thrombolytic therapy. The third variable comprises the presence or absence of chest pain a predetermined time after the onset of thrombolytic therapy. The fourth variable comprises the serum myoglobin level in the patient at a predetermined time after the onset of thrombolytic therapy.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of diagnosing the presence of a persistent occlusion in a myocardial infarct patient undergoing thrombolytic therapy. The method comprises detecting a series of three variables from the patient and then generating the probability of the presence of a persistent occlusion from those variables. The first variable comprises a serum creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) level from a patient at the onset of thrombolytic therapy. The second variable comprises a second CK-MB level in the patient at a predetermined time after the onset of thrombolytic therapy. The third variable comprises the presence or absence of chest pain a predetermined time after the onset of thrombolytic therapy. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second and third variables are detected within 30 minutes of each other and within about 1 to about 3 hours after the initial variable is detected.

Abstract: An instrument for predicting the benefit of using thrombolytic therapy to treat a patient with a heart condition including a first input port for receiving inputs derived from electrocardiograph measurements of the patient's condition, and a processor for computing an estimate of said benefit based upon the electrocardiograph-derived inputs.