[Status of thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction in the emergency departments of Cataluna, Spain].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to know the situation of thrombolysis in Catalonia.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to all the hospitals in Catalonia regarding to the administration of thrombolytic treatment in their hospitals.


RESULTS
29 centres replied (18 primary, 10 secondary and 1 tertiary), serving a total catchment population of 4.2 million and with a total number of 2,853 AMIs in. The mean time from the onset of symptoms to arrival at hospital was 176.3 +/- 96 min and from arrival of the patient at the hospital to the initiation of thrombolysis was 78.7 +/- 73.8 min. Most commonly, it was the Emergency Department staff who took the decision on thrombolysis (17 centres). A total of 47 +/- 12% of the AMIs received thrombolytic treatment with 61.76 +/- 42.77% of these treatments being carried out in the Emergency Departments. The internal delay to initiating thrombolysis was of 33.7 +/- 11.9 min in the centres without an ITU versus 112 +/- 8 min in those centres with an ITU (p = 0.0067). In the centres with an ITU but in which it was the doctor in the Emergency Department who took the decision on thrombolysis (n = 7), the internal delay was shorter (84.3 +/- 80.59 min).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a shorter delay in the administration of thrombolytic treatment in those emergency departments which do not have access to an ITU or Coronary Unit than in the Emergency Departments which do have this access. If the decision to carry out thrombolysis is taken by the emergency department doctors there is a substantial reduction in the time to its administration.
Epelde
F
F
D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013030:Spain; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors
Situación del tratamiento trombolítico del infarto agudo de miocardio en los Servicios de Urgencias de Cataluña.