Delays in Treatment for STEMI Increase Risk for Heart Failure

Findings from a population-based observational study suggest that reducing time from EMS call to PCI could improve morbidity as well as mortality.

Timely reperfusion for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) dramatically reduces mortality. To evaluate how timeliness of reperfusion for STEMI relates to incident congestive heart failure (CHF), investigators studied the effects of time to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the risk for CHF (determined by readmission or outpatient contact) in 7952 STEMI patients in western Denmark. Patients with treatment delays >12 hours from symptom onset were excluded from the study.

The mean treatment delay (time from symptom onset to PCI) was 4.2 hours, mean patient delay (time from symptom onset to emergency medical system [EMS] call) was 2.3 hours, and mean system delay (time from EMS call to PCI) was 2.2 hours. Patient…

Reviewing Author

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute