Abstract

Background. If primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is performed promptly, the procedure is superior to fibrinolysis in restoring flow to the infarct-related artery in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The benchmark for a timely PCI intervention has become a door-to-balloon time of less than 90 minutes. Whether regional strategies can be developed to achieve this goal is uncertain.

Methods. We developed an integrated-metropolitan-area approach in which all patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were referred to a specialized center for primary PCI. We sought to determine whether there was a difference in door-to-balloon times between patients who were referred directly from the field by paramedics trained in the interpretation of electrocardiograms and patients who were referred by emergency department physicians.

Results. Between May 1, 2005, and April 30, 2006, a total of 344 consecutive patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were referred for primary PCI: 135 directly from the field and 209 from emergency departments. Primary PCI was performed in 93.6% of patients. The median door-to-balloon time was shorter in patients referred from the field (69 minutes; interquartile range, 43 to 87) than in patients needing interhospital transfer (123 minutes; interquartile range, 101 to 153; p < 0.001). Door-to-balloon times of less than 90 minutes were achieved in 79.7% of patients who were transferred from the field and in 11.9% of those transferred from emergency departments (p < 0.001).

Conclusions. Guideline door-to-balloon-times were more often achieved when trained paramedics independently triaged and transported patients directly to a designated primary PCI center than when patients were referred from emergency departments.

Source Information
From the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (M.R.L., D.Y.S., C.A.G., M.P.V.F., G.A.W., R.F.D., H.L.S., J.-F.M., E.R.O., S.C.R., A.H., P.G.J., M.L.) and the Ottawa Base Hospital Program (R.D., J.M., J.T.), University of Ottawa; and the Ottawa Paramedic Service (P.P.) — all in Ottawa, ON, Canada.