The effect of symptoms on prehospital delay time in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE

To improve time to treatment, the effects of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) symptoms on prehospital delay time (PDT) were investigated.

METHODS

Patients with AMI completed a questionnaire on their AMI symptoms and their general knowledge of AMI symptoms.

RESULTS

In total, 116 patients completed questionnaires. The mean PDT was 7.3 ± 2.4  h; the median PDT was 2.2 h. Each patient experienced a mean of 3.6 symptoms during their AMI. PDT was significantly shorter in the following groups: patients with chest compression pain/chest discomfort, profuse sweating or dyspnoea than in patients with other symptoms; patients presenting with typical rather than atypical symptoms; patients with pain scores >6 compared with scores ≤6; patients who were aware rather than unaware of AMI symptoms. Patients actually having AMI symptoms and patients being aware of AMI symptoms were inversely correlated with PDT. There was a linear relationship between pain scores and PDT.

CONCLUSION

Public awareness of AMI symptoms should be enhanced, in order to shorten PDT and improve AMI survival rates.