Herz
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Management of acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) demands rapid and complete reperfusion of the infarct-related artery (IRA). With postinfarction prognosis depending on time delay from onset of symptoms to complete reperfusion (TIMI 3 flow) of the IRA, primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) performed by an experienced team has been shown to be superior to thrombolytic therapy with lower mortality, less frequent occurrence of nonfatal reinfarction and stroke, and thus represents the preferred treatment strategy according to the national and international guidelines. For regional implementation of PPCI, particularly in rural areas, information and transfer logistics within networks of care and direct transport of an infarction patient to a PCI hospital rather than to the closest hospital are a challenge. ⋯ Moreover, there was no evidence of differences in left ventricular ejection fraction between groups. Thus, transportation of STEMI patients within an established PCI network did not result in any prognostic disadvantage. Efficient network logistics with transportation for PPCI in acute STEMI ensure both safety and outcome profiles similar to patients treated by PCI in metropolitan areas.