Often considered the deadliest type of heart attack, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI happens when the blood supply to the heart is completely blocked. Quickly opening the blocked artery can restore normal blood flow, minimize heart damage and save lives. National guidelines recommend the blockage be opened and blood flow restored within 90 minutes of the patient’s first contact with emergency medical personnel who performs percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) at the hospital.
The goal is within 120 minutes for patients transferred from hospitals that do not perform PCI to those that do. A study published in in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation demonstrates that, when emergency medical services (EMS) and hospital providers work together in a coordinated system, people suffering deadly heart attacks receive life-saving treatment sooner. PROJECT…
