Reducing patient delay in seeking treatment for acute myocardial infarction.

Although there have been tremendous strides in therapies for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), patients still do not receive these treatments in a timely manner, or sometimes not at all. One major reason is inadvertent delays by patients and by those with whom they consult about their symptoms. One of the National Heart Attack Alert Program's (NHAAP) goals is to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with AMI through the rapid identification and treatment of at-risk individuals. Medical-surgical nurses can play a crucial role in ensuring that patients and their family members know how to recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, what steps to take to get early and appropriate evaluation and treatment, and the potentially lifesaving benefits of this information.