[Time delay in acute myocardial infarct]

The authors present their experience concerning the time-delay in 357 patients with acute myocardial infarction admitted to the coronary unit over the years 1988-1991. This time indicator was evaluated by using two approaches, i.e. the global time-delay (the time between the onset of the patient's complaints and his/her admission to the coronary unit) and patient's time-delay (the time between the onset of the patient's complaints and his/her decision to notify the health care service). Arbitrary criteria were set up: 10 hours for the former and 5 hours for the latter parameter. The established criteria were met by 40% of the patients. Only 24% of the patients presented at the coronary unit within 6 hours, and these could receive thrombolytic treatment. The decision time (patient's time-delay) amounted that the education level of our population has to be enhanced so as to increase the number of patients with acute myocardial infarction presenting at the coronary unit at an early stage. (Tab. 1, Ref. 9.)