[Proceedings: A mobile coronary care unit at the Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen].

Cardiac death after a myocardial infarction occurs most frequently within the first hour after onset of symptoms and in nearly 2/3 of cases before transfer to a hospital. Mortality therefore should be influenced by shortening of the prehospital phase. At moderate cost a mobile coronary care unit (Kardiomobil) has been introduced at the Cantonal Hospital, St. Gall. Experience and results of the first year of the service are reported. 82 out of 142 patients transported by Kardiomobil proved to have myocardial infarction. Two patients with ventricular fibrillation were defibrillated, with one longterm success. Sixteen cases of potentially life threatening arrhythmias were successfully treated. The mean period from onset of symptoms to alerting a doctor was 1 h 15 min, while the mean period from onset of infarction to entry into the hospital CCU was 3 hrs.