For STEMI reperfusion, which time metric is a goal?

For STEMI reperfusion, which time metric is a goal?

• A. First medical contact to balloon inflation within 90 minutes
• B. Door to balloon inflation within 90 minutes
• C. First medical contact to drug within 30 minutes
• D. Door to drug within 60 minutes

Answer: (A)

The goal in STEMI reperfusion is to minimize the total time from first medical contact to restoring blood flow with PCI. That’s captured best by the metric from first medical contact to balloon inflation within 90 minutes, because it includes every phase from EMS contact and transport through cath lab activation to the actual PCI. This broad measure reflects the total ischemic time and drives system-wide actions to speed reperfusion, which improves outcomes. Door-to-balloon focuses only on the in-hospital portion after arrival, missing delays that can occur before reaching the hospital. The drug-related times ( FMC-to-drug or door-to-drug) pertain to pharmacologic reperfusion strategies like fibrinolysis, not PCI. So the overarching target for PCI-based STEMI reperfusion is first medical contact to balloon inflation within 90 minutes.

The goal in STEMI reperfusion is to minimize the total time from first medical contact to restoring blood flow with PCI. That’s captured best by the metric from first medical contact to balloon inflation within 90 minutes, because it includes every phase from EMS contact and transport through cath lab activation to the actual PCI. This broad measure reflects the total ischemic time and drives system-wide actions to speed reperfusion, which improves outcomes.

Door-to-balloon focuses only on the in-hospital portion after arrival, missing delays that can occur before reaching the hospital. The drug-related times ( FMC-to-drug or door-to-drug) pertain to pharmacologic reperfusion strategies like fibrinolysis, not PCI. So the overarching target for PCI-based STEMI reperfusion is first medical contact to balloon inflation within 90 minutes.