title: Half of the patients with chest pain that are urgently referred are transported in unsafe conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with an acute coronary syndrome should be referred to hospital urgently to start reperfusion therapy as soon as possible. Owing to the risks of ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, urgent transport should be organized under safe conditions, that is, with a defibrillator at hand.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the type of transport of patients with chest pain referred by their general practitioner (GP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sentinel network of general practices in Belgium, covering almost 1.6% of the total population.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand nine hundred and ninety-six patients with chest pain attending their GP in 2003.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive analyses reporting proportions along with their 95% confidence interval (CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male patients were referred to hospital more often than female patients: 44.9% (95% CI: 41.6-47.8) versus 36.5% (95% CI: 33.4-39.6). For patients who were referred routinely, 92.7% (95% CI: 89.1-95.2) were transported by family and neighbours, 4.8% (95% CI: 2.8-7.9) by ambulance and 2.5% (95% CI: 1.2-5.1) by GPs. For patients who were referred urgently, ambulances transported 56.9% (95% CI: 51.1-62.7), family and neighbours 36.9% (95% CI: 31.4-42.7) and the GP 6.1% (95% CI: 3.7-9.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost half of the patients with chest pain who require urgent referral are transported in unsafe conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, ACHG KULeuven, Leuven, Belgium. Rudi.Bruyninckx@skynet.be
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruyninckx
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van den Bruel
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aertgeerts
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Van Casteren
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buntinx
mesh_terms: D000552:Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000787:Angina Pectoris; D001530:Belgium; D002637:Chest Pain; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D013997:Time Factors