[Delay in caring for patients with precordial pain].

OBJECTIVES

Estimate the differences in the time of arrival at the Intensive Care Unite (ICU) among patients with previous++ infarction versus first infarction ones.

DESIGN

Transversal retrospective study.

SETTING

General Hospital of Elche.

PATIENTS AND OTHER

PARTICIPANTS

622 diagnosed of infarction between 1984-1990.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

The sample was divided into two groups according to whether having previous infarction or not. In each patient we registered age, sex, initial killip, initial CPK, maximum CPK, year of admission and time from beginning of symptoms till ICU arrival. None of the groups we studied showed significant differences in which refers to times to arrival at ICU. Initial CPK was lower in those who had previous infarction (p = 0.023) (obtained at the emergency ward).

CONCLUSIONS

We concluded that patients with previous infarction arrive at hospital before those first infarction (lower CPK in emergency ward), but assistance protocols even the elapsed time when arriving at ICU. We did not find any factors which joined with time value in a significant way.