Copyright © 2003 by the European Society of Cardiology.
Impact of pre-hospital care in patients with acute myocardial infarction compared with those first managed in-hospital
Regional Medical Cardiology Centre, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Received July 15, 2002; accepted July 17, 2002 * Correspondence: Professor A. A. J. Adgey, Regional Medical Cardiology Centre, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast BT12 6BA, Northern Ireland, U.K.
Aims To compare prospectively the impact of pre-hospital care by a physician-staffed mobile coronary care unit with patients managed initially in-hospital, all with acute myocardial infarction.
Methods and results This was a single centre registry of consecutive patients (n=750) admitted with acute myocardial infarction to the coronary care unit and cardiology wards of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast between 1998 and 2001. For the 750 patients, in-hospital mortality was 11% and was significantly lower for those managed pre-hospital (8% vs 13%, P=0.04): patients who received fibrinolytic therapy (n=474), the in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the pre-hospital group (7% vs 13%, P=0.02). Those managed pre-hospital had significant reduction in the median delay times (25th, 75th percentiles) from onset of symptoms to call for help 1.0 (0.5, 2.2) vs 2.0 (0.9, 6.0) h, P<0.001, from call for help to receiving fibrinolytic therapy 1.0 (0.8, 1.5) vs 1.8 (1.2, 2.5) h, P<0.001 resulting in a shorter pain-to-needle time for fibrinolytic therapy 2.3 (1.5, 3.8) vs 4.0 (2.6, 7.2) h, P<0.001. For all patients, older age, haemodynamic indicators on admission (hypotension, higher heart rate, heart failure) and managed by the in-hospital route were significant independent variables for an adverse in-hospital mortality. Although for patients aged 
75 years no statistical significant reduction in mortality occurred for those managed pre-hospital (P=0.051), nevertheless patients in this age group first treated pre-hospital who received fibrinolytic therapy had a significantly lower mortality than those first treated in-hospital (21% vs 43%, P=0.02).
Conclusions Consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction seen and managed initially out-of-hospital by a physician-staffed mobile coronary care unit had significantly lower in-hospital mortality.
Key Words: Myocardial infarction • pre-hospital care • mortality • fibrinolytic therapy
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