THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING ECG TELETRANSMISSION DURING EMERGENCY MEDICAL TEAM INTERVENTIONS

Aim: To determine the importance of electrocardiogram (ECG) teletransmission on the time required for decisions on diagnosis and treatment and the transport of patients with myocardial infarction. Material and methods: This study is retrospective in character and concerns the regional activities of the Bielsko Emergency Medical Services and the possibility of sending medical data electronically from a patient’s location to the clinic of interventional cardiology (CIC). Group A (n=237) included patients in whom the Medical Response Team (MRT) confirmed ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) and carried out an ECG with data teletransmission to the CIC. Group B (n=101) included patients in whom the MRT confirmed STEMI and carried out an ECG without teletransmission. For both groups, the MRT recorded the time of arrival at the patient’s location and the time when the patient was handed over to the CIC. Results: A group of 638 patients were identified in whom the chest pain was of cardiac origin. Of these patients, 338 were identified as patients with diagnosed STEMI. A significant dependence was demonstrated of the time t [mins] of teletransmission (p=0.00308). A significant dependence was demonstrated of the effect of distance s [kms] (p=0.00000). A significant dependence was demonstrated of the time t from the place of residence, taking into account the distance s (p=0.00929). Conclusions: Using ECG teletransmission in pre-hospital procedures shortens the time for diagnosis and transport of patients with STEMI, and thus improves the results of treatment.