Pharmacology and the Nursing Process by Linda Lane Lilley: Practice Exam

What major development in the 1980s impacted the use of thrombolytic drugs for acute myocardial infarction?

1. The discovery of the coronary artery occlusion's role

2. The development of synthetic antifibrinolytic drugs

3. The identification of new antiplatelet agents

4. The invention of the first automated external defibrillator

The correct answer is: The discovery of the coronary artery occlusion's role

In the 1980s, there were significant developments in the understanding of acute myocardial infarction and its treatment. One of the most impactful was the discovery of the role of coronary artery occlusion in causing heart attacks. This discovery led to the increased use of thrombolytic drugs, which are designed to break up blood clots in the coronary arteries. The other choices, such as the development of synthetic antifibrinolytic drugs, the identification of new antiplatelet agents, and the invention of the first automated external defibrillator, while important developments in their own right, do not directly relate to the use of thrombolytic drugs for acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, they are not the major development that impacted the use of thrombolytic drugs in the 1980s.