title: Patients with acute myocardial infarction and interfering factors when seeking emergency care: implications for health education.
abstract: With the objective of estimating the time elapsed between the beginning of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack until the arrival at the cardiology emergency service (Delta T) and the factors that influence in this process, 112 patients were studied, with an infarction diagnosis with supraunleveling ST segment. The delta T was on average of 3h59+/-2h55min; 99(88%) of those patients sought out an emergency service within 1h after the beginning of the event. Unmarried patients presented a delta T smaller in relation to the others (P=0,006), as well as those that recognized the symptoms as a heart event; thoracic pain with burning symptoms, were described by 25 (24%) of patients, and the first attitude taken, in view those symptoms, was self-medication 37(33%). The recognition of the signs and symptoms of Acute Myocardium Infarction, is a decisive factor for the seeking of a specialized service.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Institute, Fundação Universitária de Cardiologia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Betina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Eneida Rejane
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Rabelo
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goldemeyer
authors.forename: Emiliane Nogueira de
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors