Consideration for primary angioplasty: impact on the door-to-drug time in AMI patients ultimately treated with thrombolytic agent.

The objective of this study was to determine if consideration for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) delays administration of thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. Retrospective medical record review of patients ultimately diagnosed with AMI who presented to the ED with chest pain and ST segment elevation on the electrocardiogram; these patients also received acute reperfusion therapy (PTCA or thrombolytic agent). AMI was diagnosed by abnormal elevations in the creatinine phosphokinase MB fraction. The study period covered 2 years (July 1, 1994 to June 30, 1996) in a university hospital ED with an annual volume of 60,000 patient-visits. The use of reperfusion therapies, time intervals, and times of presentation were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups based on cardiac catheterization laboratory (CATH) availability: (group I, CATH currently in operation, Monday to Friday, 7 am to 7 pm and group II, CATH currently not in-operation, all other times). Fifty-two patients with AMI met entry criteria. Patients were treated with thrombolytic therapy in 25 cases; PTCA in 27 cases. Patients received thrombolytic agents within statistically equivalent time intervals regardless of the period of presentation; time to thrombolytic therapy for group I patients was 38 +/- 16 minutes compared with 36 +/- 26 minutes for group II patients (P =. 891). A trend toward significance was noted in the use of PTCA compared with thrombolytic agent; Group I patients were more often treated with PTCA (19) compared with group II patients (11, P =.067). Patients were more rapidly treated with PTCA during CATH operation; the mean time to PTCA for group I patients was 73.5 minutes compared with PTCA for group II patients with 107.8 minutes (P =.033). The consideration for PTCA did not significantly delay the administration of thrombolytic therapy at the study site institution. PTCA was initiated more rapidly in patients presenting with AMI during hours of CATH operation.