Hemopericardium with cardiac tamponade after intravenous thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction

This report presents 2 patients with hemopericardium and tamponade encountered among a group of 26 patients who had received intravenous thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction during an 8-month time span. Both responded promptly to pericardiocentesis and pericardial catheter drainage. It is suggested that this rarely reported complication has the potential of occurring more frequently with increasing use of thrombolytics followed by aggressive anticoagulant regimens.