The effectiveness of mobile coronary care in a nonurban area.

During an eight-month period 225 patients in a nonurban area (65,000 population) received care from a mobile coronary care unit (MCCU) staffed by coronary care nurses from the hospital coronary care unit. There were 29 (13%) deaths. One hundred and twenty-six of the patients were eventually diagnosed as coronary disease cases (including the 29 deaths) while 99 were released with the noncardiac diagnoses. The provision of definitive emergency medical care prior to hospitalization resulted in eight lives definitely saved (three "long-term saves" and five "short-term saves") and seven lives possibly saved (six long-term saves and one short-term save). On an annual basis, per 100,000 population, these results would account for 18.5 definite saves (6.9 long-term saves and 11.5 short-term saves) and 16.2 possible saves (13.9 long-term saves and 2.3 short-term saves).