Myocardial infarction centres: the way forward.
In the era of primary PCI, a strategy of admitting patients to the nearest hospital should be obsolete. Instead, a prehospital diagnostic strategy should be implemented in order to: (1) refer patients directly to interventional centres, thereby eliminating delay at local hospitals; (2) alert the interventional centre, thereby reducing door to balloon times; (3) initiate adjunctive medication in the prehospital phase.
Andersen
H R
HR
Department of Cardiology B, Skejby University Hospital, DK-8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. henning.rud.andersen@iekf.au.dk
Terkelsen
C J
CJ
Thuesen
L
L
Krusell
L R
LR
Kristensen
S D
SD
Bøtker
H E
HE
Lassen
J F
JF
Nielsen
T T
TT
D003325:Coronary Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000628:therapy*; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000458:organization & administration; D013997:Time Factors