Key result
STEMI care shows prolonged total ischemic time averaging 421 minutes, driven predominantly by pre-hospital delays.
Why the study?
Timely reperfusion is crucial in STEMI management, but substantial delays persist despite advances in primary PCI, particularly in Eastern Europe.
Observational (n=151)
No
Despite efficient in-hospital workflows, STEMI care in Romania is characterized by significant pre-hospital delays, highlighting the need for targeted public education and optimized emergency pathways.
May signal ongoing STEMI reperfusion gaps in Eastern Europe; hypothesis-generating for system-level interventions in prospective studies.
Background Timely reperfusion is the cornerstone of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) management. Despite major advances in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), substantial delays persist, particularly in Eastern Europe. Methods We conducted a retrospective, registry-based analysis of 151 consecutive patients with STEMI admitted to a tertiary emergency university hospital in Romania between April and October 2025. Demographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, reperfusion timelines, and in-hospital outcomes were analyzed. Results Mean total ischemic time was 421 min, driven predominantly by prolonged pain-to-call (229 min) and first medical contact (FMC)-to-door (102 min) intervals. In-hospital door-to-balloon times were largely compliant with European Society of Cardiology recommendations. In-hospital mortality was 8.94%. Conclusions STEMI care in Romania is characterized by significant pre-hospital delays despite efficient in-hospital workflows. Targeted public education, optimization of emergency medical service pathways, and broader implementation of pharmaco-invasive strategies may substantially reduce ischemic time and improve outcomes.
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Dumitrescu et al. (2026) conducted an observational in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (n=151). STEMI reperfusion timelines was evaluated on Total ischemic time and reperfusion delays. STEMI patients in a Romanian tertiary center experienced a prolonged mean total ischemic time of 421 minutes, driven predominantly by pre-hospital delays including a 229-minute pain-to-call interval.
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