If chest pain typical of acute MI lasts 6 hours or less and no absolute contraindications exist, what therapy may be given?

• A. Antihistamines
• B. Thrombolytic therapy
• C. Lifestyle modification
• D. Antibiotics

Answer: (B)

In an acute myocardial infarction, restoring blood flow quickly to the heart muscle is the priority to minimize damage. If chest pain typical of an MI lasts 6 hours or less and there are no absolute contraindications, thrombolytic therapy can be given to dissolve the clot blocking the coronary artery and revive perfusion. This reperfusion approach is particularly important when primary PCI (catheter-based intervention) isn’t available promptly, and it has been shown to reduce mortality and limit infarct size when used within the appropriate time window. Antihistamines and antibiotics do not treat the underlying coronary thrombosis, and lifestyle modification is a long-term prevention strategy rather than acute treatment. The goal here is to quickly restore blood flow to preserve heart muscle.