Use of an air ambulance system improves time to treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify whether a helicopter ambulance system (doctor helicopter system; DHS) could shorten the time interval to coronary intervention in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), in comparison with ground ambulance (GA). Methods: The time from the emergency call to coronary angiography (CAG time) or to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI time), and the in-hospital outcome were evaluated in 76 AMI patients. Twenty patients were transported by DHS, and the other 56 were by GA. Results: Both CAG time and PCI time were significantly shorter in the DHS (98.8+/-29.2 min, and 169.6+/-57.4 min) than those of the GA (126.6+/ 48.7 min, and 203.2+/-57.0 min; p<0.05) group. In-hospital mortality was lower in the DHS (5.0%) versus the GA (10.7%) group. Conclusion: Use of DHS shortened the time interval to coronary intervention and also improved the inhospital prognosis of AMI patients. © 2006 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.