title: [The final situation in the Turkey "Stent for Life" project].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Stent for Life (SFL) project's main mission is to increase the use of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in more than 70% of all acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Previous to the SFL project, thrombolysis was the dominant reperfusion strategy since a low percentage of acute STEMI patients had access to primary PCI in our country. In this study, we present the main barriers of access to primary PCI in the centers that were involved with the SFL project.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with acute STEMI admitted to the centers that were involved in the SFL project between 2009 and 2011 were included in the analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Since the inception of the SFL project, the primary PCI rate has reached over 90% in SFL pilot cities. In the last 5 years, the number of ambulances and emergency stations has increased. Since the collaboration with 112 Emergency Service, a great majority of cases were reached via the emergency medical system. The mean door-to-balloon time for the pilot cities was 54.72±43.66 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After three years of the SFL project, primary PCI has emerged as the preferred reperfusion strategy for patients with STEMI in pilot cities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology Bezmialem University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey. drgokhanertas@yahoo.com.tr.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ertaş
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kozan
authors.forename: Muzaffer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Değertekin
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kervan
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Koç
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Göktekin
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey