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  • Title: Patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction to a district general hospital: baseline results and effect of audit.
    Author: O'Neill J, Dowling J, Wright P, Murphy AW, Bury G, Tedstone-Doherty D, Bannan L.
    Journal: Ir Med J; 2003 Mar; 96(3):70-3. PubMed ID: 12722781.
    Abstract:
    The Cardiovascular Health Strategy recommended that patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction receive thrombolysis within ninety minutes of alerting medical or ambulance services. The aim of this prospective study was to describe the management of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) presenting to a district general hospital in Donegal. All patients with a confirmed diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, excluding those from the Donegal Area Rapid Treatment Study (DARTS) practices, admitted to Letterkenny General Hospital (LGH) from 31.08.99 to 31.08.01 were included in the study. 349 patients were included in the study; average age of 68 ranging from 30 to 96 years and 69% were male. Of the 349 patients, 101 (29%) were located more than 30 miles from LGH at the time of onset of symptoms. The median time taken from the onset of symptoms to calling for help was 119 minutes. The median time from hospital arrival to patients being admitted to CCU was 90 minutes. Thrombolytic therapy was administered in 31% of patients; for these patients the median call to needle time was 200 minutes. Call to needle times differed significantly between rural (median 227.5 minutes n = 64) and urban patients (median 175 minutes n = 37, p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney). Hospital delay times decreased throughout the study period (p > 0.05, Mann-Whitney). The study extends the findings from previous research by investigating the individual time delay components from onset of symptoms to treatment in AMI patients. Delay times exceed the recommended call to needle and door to needle times suggesting the need for interventions to reduce these times.
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