aleplase equivalent to urokinase

Had fun with Dr. Misery tonight. He needed to "uncork" a cerebral shunt with a lytic. Had wanted 25,000 units of Urokinase. Us old folks have used it but it hasn't been on the market for several years. During the second phone call we had he did say he had used it in Canada. Then came the zinger "So what is the equivalent to alteplase?". After a lot of research, I found an article in Radiology journal that said "so approximately 31,000 units of Urokinase is equal to 1 mg of alteplase". After another talk, he decided on 2 mg of alteplase should do it. Who says nights are dull? (At the same time, ER wanted a STAT antibiotic and OR wanted a STAT Hemabate.)