The emergency physician reviews the EKG and decides if the patient is a candidate for Retavase. Paramedics have a certain checklist of items they need to go through, as well. Greenville County, South Carolina and Springfield Missouri are two of the few counties in the country that offer Retavase on board ambulances. Dade and Broward County, Florida are currently doing it as part of a trial period. Officials within the study say to date, one hundred thirty nine lives have been saved as a result.
Doctors say there is less than a one percent risk of intercranial bleeding.
They say this is the same risk as other clot-busters.