Prehospital thrombolysis

doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7405.1

BMJ 2003;327:1-2 (5 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7405.1

Editorial

Prehospital thrombolysis

Will pave the way for accelerated management of acute myocardial infarction

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The national service framework for coronary heart disease hasset a series of challenging targets for medical practitionersacross a range of disciplines, aimed at reducing this leadingcause of mortality in the United Kingdom. In many areas, notablythe delivery of secondary prevention after acute myocardialinfarction, these challenges have largely been met. The benefitsof prompt thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction are well recognised,¹ and early patency of the relevant artery is nowthe holy grail of management. Difficulties remain, however,in delivering effective and timely treatment, with a target"call to needle" time of less than 60 minutes stated by thenational service framework.² Reorganisation of in-hospitalcare (devolving the administration of thrombolysis to emergencydepartments, appointment of specialised chest pain triage nurses,and use of bolus lytic agents) has brought about great advances in the past three years, and 76% of eligible patients now receivethrombolysis . . . [Full text of this article]

Bernard D Prendergast, consultant cardiologist

Department of Cardiology, North-West Regional Cardiothoracic Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester M23 9LT (Bernard.Prendergast@smuht.nwest.nhs.uk)

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