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. 2012 May-Jun;45(3):266-71.
doi: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2011.10.004. Epub 2011 Nov 23.

Prehospital 12-lead ST-segment monitoring improves the early diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome

Jessica K Zègre Hemsey  1 , Kathleen Dracup, Kirsten Fleischmann, Claire E Sommargren, Barbara J Drew
Affiliations

Prehospital 12-lead ST-segment monitoring improves the early diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome

Jessica K Zègre Hemsey et al. J Electrocardiol. 2012 May-Jun.

Abstract

Aims/methods: We studied 620 patients who activated "911" for chest pain symptoms to determine the sensitivity and specificity of 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) ST-segment monitoring in the prehospital period (PH ECG) for diagnosing acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to assess whether the addition of PH ECG signs of ischemia/injury to the initial hospital 12-lead ECG obtained in the emergency department would improve the diagnosis of ACS.

Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the PH ECG were 65.4% and 66.4%. There was a significant increase in sensitivity (79.9%) and decrease in specificity (61.2%) when considered in conjunction with the initial hospital ECG (P < .001). Those with PH ECG ischemia/injury were more than 2.5 times likely to have an ACS diagnosis than those who had no PH ECG ischemia/injury (P < .001).

Conclusions: Prehospital ECG data obtained with 12-lead ST-segment monitoring provides diagnostic information about ACS above and beyond the initial hospital ECG.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Potential value of the pre-hospital ECG for ACS patients: a case example
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