INTRODUCTION: The aim was to describe ambulance transportation and pre-hospital treatment in connection with admission for suspected acute myocardial infarction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: For all patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome who were urgently admitted to the Cardiological Department, Odense University Hospital between 3 August 1998 and 6 December 1998, information about ambulance transportation and pre-hospital treatment was collected through interviews with the patients and study of ambulance records, admission notes, and hospital medical records. In addition, details of the regarding response times were obtained from Falck's emergency service and from nurses' papers.

RESULTS: Altogether 279 patients (83%) were transported by ambulance. Half the ambulances arrived at the hospital after 34 minutes (range 11-140 minutes), but every third ambulance took more than 40 minutes to reach the hospital. The pre-hospital treatment of all the patients was: oxygen 69%, nitroglycerin sublingually 46%, nitrous oxide 2%, defibrillation 1.4%, acetylsalicylic acid 9%, morphine injection 8%, and ECG monitoring 57%.

CONCLUSION: The study showed that there were quality problems, as every third ambulance took more than 40 minutes to reach the hospital. It also showed that acetylsalicylic acid and morphine were used only to a limited extent in a pre-hospital situation.