JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Effect of a community intervention on patient delay and emergency medical service use in acute coronary heart disease: The Rapid Early Action for Coronary Treatment (REACT) Trial.
Delayed access to medical care in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is common and increases myocardial damage and mortality. ⋯ In this study, despite an 18-month intervention, time from symptom onset to hospital arrival for patients with chest pain did not change differentially between groups, although increased appropriate EMS use occurred in intervention communities. New strategies are needed if delay time from symptom onset to hospital presentation is to be decreased further in patients with suspected AMI. JAMA. 2000;284:60-67