Pre-hospital delay in Vietnamese patients hospitalized with a first acute myocardial infarction: A short report

Background: Administration of coronary reperfusion therapy to patients with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) within the proper timeframe is essential in avoiding clinical complications and death. However, the extent of pre-hospital delay is unexplored in Vietnam. This report aims to describe the duration of pre-hospital delay of Hanoi residents hospitalized with a first AMI at the Vietnam National Heart Institute . Methods: A total of 103 Hanoi residents hospitalized at the largest tertiary care medical center in the city for first AMI, who have information on prehospital delay was included in this report. Results: One third of the study sample was women and mean age was 66 years. The mean and median pre-hospital delay duration were 14.9 hours and 4.8 hours, respectively. The proportion of patients who delayed <6 , 6-<12, and ≥ 12 hours were 45%, 13%, and 42%, respectively. Conclusions: Our data shows that a prolonged pre-hospital delay is often observed in patients with a first AMI in Vietnam. In order to confirm these preliminary descriptive findings, a full-scale investigation of all Hanoi residents hospitalized with first AMI is needed. Increasing public awareness about AMI treatment is vital in encouraging patients to seek medical care timely after experiencing AMI symptoms such that received treatment is most effective.