European heart journal. Acute cardiovascular care
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Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care · Sep 2016
Clinical TrialMode of admission and its effect on adherence to reperfusion therapy guidelines in Belgian STEMI patients.
Emergency medical services play a key role in the recognition and treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study evaluates the effect of emergency medical services use on adherence to reperfusion therapy guidelines in Belgian STEMI patients and on in-hospital mortality. ⋯ Emergency medical services are used by two-thirds of Belgian STEMI patients and are associated with a better adherence to STEMI reperfusion guidelines. These data favour the use of emergency medical services as the preferred transfer system for patients with chest pain suspicious for STEMI.