Effect of Covid‐19 pandemic process on STEMI patients timeline

Soylu, Korhan; Coksevim, Metin; Yanık, Ahmet; Bugra Cerik, Idris; Aksan, Gökhan

OBJECTIVE: Delayed revascularisation in patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to investigate how the timeline in STEMI treatment was affected during the Covid‐19 outbreak. METHOD: Consecutive 165 STEMI patients were enrolled in the study during the Covid‐19 pandemic period (Pandemic period) and the prepandemic period (Control period). The time period until patients' leaving their current position after the onset of pain (home delay), the time from the onset of pain to the first medical contact (FMC delay), door‐to‐balloon time, procedure time and hospitalisation time were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients, 82 in the Pandemic period and 83 in the Control period, were included in the study. When compared with the control period, home delay [30 (5‐6912) minutes vs 165 (10‐360) minutes, P < .001] and FMC delay [61 (20‐6932) minutes vs 190 (15‐3660) minutes, P < .001] were significantly prolonged during the pandemic period. In addition, non‐IRA PCI rate (8.8% vs 19.3% P = .043) and hospitalisation time [71 (15‐170) vs 74.2 (37‐329) hours, P = .045] were decreased. CONCLUSION: During the Covid‐19 pandemic period, prolonged prehospital time parameters were observed in STEMI patients. Therefore, additional measures may be required to prevent unfavourable delays in STEMI patients during the outbreak.