The Effect of Emergency Medical Systems on Prehospital Cardiovascular Care: An Evaluation of Studies and an Inventory of Data Bases

摘要

The decline in cardiovascular mortality in the United States over the past two decades has been dramatic. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain this trend including, for example, public health education; the reduction of coronary risk factors; the advent of coronary care units; coronary artery surgery; and the subject of this study, prehospital mobile coronary care (MCC). The purpose of this study has been to learn more of the potential for prehospital coronary care as a factor in the decline. In particular, part of this study has involved a review of the literature currently available on MCC to assess its validity and universality with respect to the effectiveness of MCC. In addition, a conceptual model of MCC that may be very useful in its further evaluation has been developed and a minimum data set essential to any such evaluation effort has been identified. In addition, an extensive annotated bibliography has been developed of the 355 references on prehospital cardiovascular care that were derived from the literature review.