Reduced door-to-balloon times in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) significantly reduces mortality and morbidity, particularly when door-to-balloon (D2B) time is < 90 min. We sought to minimize preventable delays by instituting an on-site cardiology team-based approach in the emergency department (ED). Methods: The on-site group comprised 146 consecutive patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI after implementation of the on-site strategy. This new patient care model was compared with the conventional care administered before instituting the on-site cardiology team-based strategy in ED, which included 90 patients (interim group) receiving primary PCI at a catheterization room in the same building as the ED, and 147 patients (pre-on-site group) undergoing primary PCI at a catheterization room two blocks away from the ED. Results: Median D2B time decreased from 107 min in the pre-on-site group to 72 min in the interim group, and to 47 min in the on-site group, respectively (p < 0.001). The percentage of D2B times < 90 min increased from 34% to 78% and 96%, respectively among the three groups (p < 0.001). Hospitalization costs were significantly reduced in the on-site and interim vs. pre-on-site groups ($5944, $5999, and $6581, respectively; p = 0.008). In-hospital mortality did not differ significantly among the three groups (4.8%, 2.2%, and 6.1%, respectively; p = 0.387). Conclusions: Institution of an on-site cardiology team-based approach in the ED significantly reduces D2B time in STEMI patients eligible for primary PCI.