Time to thrombolysis and factors contributing to delays in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa

Authors

  • I Tickley Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • S A van Blydenstein Department of Internal Medicine and Division of Pulmonology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • R Meel 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i9.500

Keywords:

thrombolysis, acute coronary syndrome, STEMI

Abstract

Background. Acute coronary syndrome is a public health burden both worldwide and in South Africa (SA). Guidelines recommend thrombolysis within 1 hour of symptom onset and 30 minutes of hospital arrival for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in order to prevent morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of data pertaining to the time between onset of chest pain and thrombolysis in STEMI patients in SA.

Objectives. To elucidate the time to thrombolytic therapy, establish the reasons for treatment delays, and calculate the loss of benefit of thrombolysis associated with delays in treatment of patients presenting with STEMI at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), Johannesburg, SA.

Method. A prospective observational study of 100 consecutive patients with STEMI was conducted at CHBAH (2021 - 2022).

Results. The mean (standard deviation) age was 55.6 (11.6) years, with a male predominance (78%). Thrombolytic therapy was administered to 51 patients, with a median (interquartile range (IQR)) time to thrombolysis of 360 (258 - 768) minutes; 10 of the patients who received a thrombolytic (19.6%) did so within 30 minutes of arrival at the hospital. The median (IQR) time from symptom onset to calling for help was 60 (30 - 240) minutes, the median time from arrival of help to hospital arrival was 114 (48 - 468) minutes, and the median in-hospital delay to thrombolysis after arrival was 105 (45 - 240) minutes. Numerous reasons that led to delay in treatment were identified, but the most frequent was prehospital delays related to patient factors. Late presentation resulted in 26/49 patients (53.1%) not receiving thrombolytic therapy. Five patients died and 43 suffered from heart failure. Thirty per 1 000 participants could have been saved had they received thrombolytic therapy within 1 hour from the onset of chest pain.

Conclusion. Prehospital and hospital-related factors played a significant role in delays to thrombolysis that led to increased morbidity and mortality of patients with STEMI.

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Published

2023-09-04

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Section

Research

How to Cite

1.
Tickley I, van Blydenstein SA, Meel R. Time to thrombolysis and factors contributing to delays in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa. S Afr Med J [Internet]. 2023 Sep. 4 [cited 2024 Dec. 9];113(9):53-8. Available from: https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/500

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