Acute myocardial infarction--prehospital and posthospital phases.

The prognosis of acute myocardial infarction depends to a large extent on quick access to medical facilities, preferably in a hospital. Total delay in hospitalization (THD) consists of patient's delay (PD--time from the onset of the attack to the call for a doctor), doctor's delay (DD--time from the call for a doctor to his arrival), and hospitalization delay (HD--time from the doctor's arrival to the admission in a hospital). In a group of 507 cases of acute myocardial infarction the median THD was 215 min., PD--95 min., DD--20 min., HD--35 min. Better interpretation of symptoms both by the patient and the doctor seems to be one of the most effective means of shortening the total hospitalization delay. The final outcome of infarction in terms of the patient's return to normal life depends on proper rehabilitation and treatment in the posthospital phase.