Physical Distance Between the Helipad and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory: A Cause for Delay in Helicopter Air Ambulance Activated Patients with STEMI

Q3 Nursing

Air Medical Journal Pub Date : 2026-05-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-16 DOI:10.1016/j.amj.2026.01.010

Megan Ostlie MD , Jennifer Ginsberg MD , Joseph Sharp DO , Nancy Buderer MS , William Krebs DO, RDMS, EMT-P

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

Decreased time to cardiac catheterization improves survival and limits cardiac tissue damage in ST Elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Emergency medical services delays account for half of treatment delays in STEMI. Helicopter air ambulance (HAA) can reduce the time to percutaneous intervention (PCI), and therefore may reduce mortality. The impact of physical distance between the PCI hospital helipad and the PCI laboratory on the door-to-door-to-balloon time (DDBT) for cardiac intervention in STEMI patients transported through HAA from remote community hospitals to PCI facilities was assessed.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart review of interfacility STEMI patients where HAA was activated to reduce DDBT from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2023. The HAA agency under review transports STEMI patients to 2 PCI centers. There is a significant difference in the distance between the helipad and the PCI laboratory at the 2 hospitals. Descriptive statistics were used to compare DDBT as well as the time from HAA arrival at the PCI hospital helipad to the cardiac catheterization laboratory.

Results

Data were available for 91 STEMI cases. The median time for DDBT was 89.9 minutes with a median time of 10.5 minutes from helipad arrival to catheterization laboratory (Table 1). Of the 91 cases, 69 (76%) were from hospital A and 22 (24%) were from hospital B. There was no detectable difference in the distribution of DDBT times between hospitals (P = .47). Helipad arrival times to cardiac catheterization laboratory were significantly longer for hospital A than hospital B (P < .001). The median time for hospital A was 11.0 minutes (interquartile range, 9.2–14.0) compared with hospital B, which had a median of 5.4 minutes (5.0–7.3).

Conclusion

The physical distance a PCI laboratory is located from the helipad can be a significant addition to ischemic time for STEMI patients.

查看原文本刊更多论文

直升机停机坪和心导管实验室之间的物理距离：直升机空中救护激活STEMI患者延误的原因

目的缩短心导管插入术时间可提高ST段抬高型心肌梗死（STEMI）患者的生存率，限制心肌组织损伤。紧急医疗服务延误占STEMI治疗延误的一半。直升机空中救护（HAA）可以减少经皮介入治疗（PCI）的时间，因此可以降低死亡率。评估了PCI医院直升机停机坪与PCI实验室之间的物理距离对经HAA从偏远社区医院转运至PCI机构的STEMI患者心脏干预的门到门到气球时间（DDBT）的影响。方法：本研究回顾性回顾了2020年1月1日至2023年1月1日期间激活HAA以减少DDBT的设施间STEMI患者的图表。正在审查的HAA机构将STEMI患者运送到2个PCI中心。两家医院的直升机停机坪和PCI实验室之间的距离有显著差异。描述性统计用于比较DDBT以及HAA到达PCI医院直升机停机坪到心导管实验室的时间。结果获得91例STEMI病例资料。DDBT的中位时间为89.9分钟，从直升机停机坪到置管实验室的中位时间为10.5分钟（表1）。91例患者中，A医院69例（76%），b医院22例（24%）。各医院间DDBT时间分布差异无统计学意义（P = 0.47）。A医院到心导管室的直升机停机坪到达时间明显长于B医院（P < 0.001）。A医院的中位时间为11.0分钟（四分位数范围为9.2-14.0），而B医院的中位时间为5.4分钟（五分位数范围为5.0-7.3）。结论PCI实验室与直升机停机坪的物理距离可显著延长STEMI患者的缺血时间。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Air Medical Journal Nursing-Emergency Nursing

CiteScore

1.20

自引率

0.00%

发文量

112

审稿时长

69 days

期刊介绍： Air Medical Journal is the official journal of the five leading air medical transport associations in the United States. AMJ is the premier provider of information for the medical transport industry, addressing the unique concerns of medical transport physicians, nurses, pilots, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, communication specialists, and program administrators. The journal contains practical how-to articles, debates on controversial industry issues, legislative updates, case studies, and peer-reviewed original research articles covering all aspects of the medical transport profession.