Feasibility and benefit of prehospital diagnosis, triage, and therapy by paramedics only in patients who are candidates for primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction

Early, prehospital infarct diagnosis, triage, and therapy in the ambulance with direct transportation to the nearest PCI center, performed by trained paramedics only, is feasible in 95% of patients. Ambulance triage resulted in earlier diagnosis and initiation of therapy and was independently associated with a better left ventricular function and clinical outcome, as compared with triage and transportation from a referral non-PCI center.