Delays in thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction in Finland. Results of a national thrombolytic therapy delay study

Abstract

Only 38% of the patient received thrombolysis within 2 h of onset of symptoms. Patient-related delay before they sought help accounted for the major portion of the total treatment delay. Thus the findings emphasize the importance of prompt action when people are confronted with an acute heart attack. Reorganizing the emergency medical service and emergency department routines is also a necessary target to shorten thrombolysis delays. The delay attributable to transporting patients could be shortened by initiating thrombolytic treatment in the pre-hospital setting. In Finnish hospitals, door-to-needle delay was acceptable in cases with clear indications for thrombolysis. However, emergency physicians often had diagnostic difficulties, which led to remarkably longer in-hospital delays.