Current management of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction in Metropolitan Beijing, China.

Objective: To assess clinical practices and in-hospital outcomes of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Beijing, China.

Methods: This study was a prospective multicentre registry study in Metropolitan Beijing, China. Demographics, delay time, management strategy and in-hospital outcome data were collected from patients with STEMI enrolled in 19 hospitals.

Results: A total of 803 patients (mean age 61+/-13 yr ,22% women and 42.1% >or= 65 yr) with STEMI were enrolled. More than half had a history of hypertension (50.4%) and current smoking (55.2%). Six hundred and fifty patients (80.9%) received reperfusion therapy: 124 (15.4% ) treated with thrombolysis and 526 (65.5% ) with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The median door-to-needle time for thrombolysis was 83 min and door-to-balloon time for primary PCI was 132 min. Only 7% of patients treated with thrombolysis met the guidelines goal of the door-to-needle time

Conclusions: Recommended Clinical Guidelines treatments are largely implemented in patients with STEMI in Beijing. However, many patients were not reperfused within the recommended times. There remains important potential for improvement in the administration of reperfusion therapy.