title: Delays to thrombolysis in the treatment of myocardial infarction.
abstract: In-hospital delays to thrombolysis were significantly shorter when thrombolysis was available on admission to the accident and emergency department than after transfer to the coronary care unit (median 60 min v 84 min, p < 0.0001). With direct admission by general practitioners to a coronary care unit the subsequent in-hospital delay was shorter (median 39 min p = 0.0004), but overall delay to thrombolysis longer (median 220 v 170 min, p = 0.0019) because of longer pre-hospital delays. Overall delay was shortest with emergency ambulance referral and thrombolysis being administered in the accident and emergency department.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Wrightson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013997:Time Factors