[Thrombolytic therapy in the past, present and future].

During the last decade, thrombolysis has developed in a unique and unprecedented way from an outsider method to a well-established standard treatment in acute myocardial infarction. Since the use of thrombolytic techniques in other entities of thromboembolic disease has been prompted by this success. As an introduction into this intriguing and inspiring field in clinical science, the present paper tries to summarise briefly the development of thrombolysis since 1933 when "fibrinolysin" was discovered in the culture medium of beta-haemolysing streptococci, as well as the presence and future of thrombolytic therapy.