Acute myocardial infarction: place of treatment and length of stay.

To assess whether all patients with acute myocardial infarction benefit from admission to a coronary care unit and prolonged hospitalization in relation to their substantial costs, a limited number of randomized controlled trials have been carried out under strict ethical constraints. The results indicate that a certain percentage of patients, especially those over 60 years with no complications less than three hours after onset of symptoms, with complications such as hypotension heart failure or arrhythmias and those who cannot adequately be cared for at home require hospitalization. An alternative combining the best features of both hospital and home care appears feasible through or late first medical contact face equally whether treated at home or in the hospital. Patients seen less than three hours after onset of symptoms, with complications such as hypotension, heart failure or arrhythmias and those who cannot adequately be cared for at home require hospitalization. An alternative combining the best features of both hospital and home care appears feasible through patient monitoring for two hours in the home by a team of technicians dispatched with a specially equipped ambulance. The outcome of patients admitted to the hospital with uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction, with respect to short and long-term mortality and morbidity, has not been adversely affected by progressively early mobilization and discharge indicating that a length of stay of more than seven to nine days would no longer seem necessary.