Key result
Among 215 patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction symptoms, 53% arrived by private transportation, primarily because they felt their symptoms did not warrant calling an ambulance.
Why the study?
Why do patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction symptoms not call an ambulance?
Observational (n=215)
No
Why do patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction symptoms not call an ambulance?
Over half of patients with AMI symptoms arrive by private transport rather than ambulance, primarily because they do not consider themselves critically ill, highlighting a need for public education.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May support targeted public education on AMI symptom urgency; extends prior overseas observations to this cohort.
BACKGROUND: Studies from overseas indicate that patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) symptoms often fail to use the emergency services as recommended, thereby depriving themselves from life-saving treatment in case of cardiac arrest and delaying the time to myocardial reperfusion in the presence of a coronary occlusion. AIMS: To compare patients brought in by ambulance to those not brought in by ambulance and to question why some patients do not use the emergency services when presenting to hospital with AMI symptoms. METHODS: Prospective interview and follow up of consecutive patients presenting with AMI symptoms to the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in a metropolitan area within a 1-month period. RESULTS: Of the 215 patients presenting to the emergency department, 113 (53%) arrived by private transportation. Sixty (53%) of these felt their symptoms did not warrant calling the ambulance, 17 (15%) had first consulted their general practitioner. The private transport group accounted for 28% of documented AMI. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of patients with AMI symptoms refrain from calling the emergency services because they do not consider themselves critically ill. Education programmes appear to be warranted because more appropriate use of emergency services will save lives.
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Lozzi et al. (2005) conducted an observational in Acute myocardial infarction symptoms (n=215). Private transportation vs. Ambulance transport was evaluated on Arrival by private transportation. Among 215 patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction symptoms, 53% arrived by private transportation, primarily because they felt their symptoms did not warrant calling an ambulance.
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