Integration of a local into a regional primary angioplasty action plan (the Catalan Codi Infart network) reduces time to reperfusion

摘要

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) is the treatment of choice for patients with ST-segment elevation myo-cardial infarction (STEMI) [1]. Numerous initiatives promoted by national and international medical societies (Stent for Life, Door-to-Balloon: An Alliance for Quality, and Mission Lifeline) [2-4] share the goal of allowing more patients with STEMI to receive pPCI under optimal conditions. These initiatives recommend the implementation of coordinated, regional plans, with the objective of optimizing time to care in patients with STEMI [5]. The aim of this study is to compare, in a local pPCI program, the time between symptom onset and reperfusion in STEMI patients before and after the implementation of a wider regional pPCI action plan, the Catalan Codi Infart network.We report the results of a prospective, observational registry of all consecutive patients with STEMI treated with pPCI from February 2007 to December 2010 in a single center divided into two time periods: before implementation of a regional plan (PreCodi Group, local care network, February 2007-May 2009) and after implementation of the plan (Codi Infart Group, regional care network, June 2009-December 2010).