Pre-hospital ticagrelor in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Ready for prime time?

In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) peri-procedural P2Y12 antagonism - although of great importance - is often suboptimal, even with the novel oral antiplatelet agents prasugrel and ticagrelor. The concept of pre-hospital ticagrelor loading, investigated in the recently published Administration of Ticagrelor in the Cath Lab or in the Ambulance for New ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction to Open the Coronary Artery (ATLANTIC) trial, appears quite a promising strategy to optimize peri-procedural platelet inhibition and potentially clinical outcome. Implementation of such an approach when treating low risk STEMI patients in 'real life' practice might prove even more beneficial than expected from the ATLANTIC results, given the reported delays from first medical contact to primary PCI performance.