Norris Robin
N Z Med J. 2007 Jun 1;120(1255):U2560.
The outcome of acute myocardial infarction is usually settled before the patient reaches hospital, because ventricular fibrillation, when it occurs, is most common soon after the onset of symptoms. Ventricular fibrillation can be treated as effectively by ambulance personnel as in hospital, and many more deaths can be prevented, mainly by timely defibrillation, for patients coming under ambulance care within 1 hour of onset than can be prevented by use of more recent treatment advances. Both patient performance in reporting symptoms promptly, and ambulance performance in responding to calls for help, need to be audited. A prolonged campaign to educate the public on the cause and symptoms of heart attack, and how to respond to them, is also necessary.
急性心肌梗死的预后通常在患者到达医院之前就已确定，因为心室颤动一旦发生，在症状出现后不久最为常见。救护车人员对心室颤动的治疗效果与医院相当，而且对于症状发作后1小时内接受救护车救治的患者，主要通过及时除颤可预防更多死亡，这比使用最新治疗进展所能预防的死亡更多。患者及时报告症状的表现以及救护车对求助呼叫的响应表现都需要进行审核。开展一场长期运动，向公众宣传心脏病发作的原因和症状以及如何应对，也是很有必要的。
