Journal of electrocardiology
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Time to reperfusion is critical for outcome in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In our region, patients are routinely treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI), but rerouting patients from the primary receiving hospital to a catheterization center can cause unacceptable delays that may exceed 1 hour in the emergency department. Wireless transmission of prehospital electrocardiograms (ECGs) to receiving stations in hospitals has been shown to reduce time from symptom onset to reperfusion. However, transmission directly to a cardiologist's handheld digital device has not been investigated. ⋯ These preliminary data suggest that transmission of prehospital 12-lead ECGs directly to the attending cardiologist using handheld devices is a technologically sound concept without major safety concerns and markedly reducing time to reperfusion in patients with STEMI.