Pre-hospital delay in Vietnamese patients hospitalized with a first acute myocardial infarction: A short report

Characterizing chest pain in patients with acute coronary syndrome at Vietnam National Heart Institute: a case-control study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to distinguish chest pain characteristics between patients with and without acute coronary syndrome (ACS) at Vietnam National Heart Institute.

METHODS

A case-control study using a structured chest pain assessment questionnaire was performed to examine pain characteristics.

RESULTS

Smoking, a history of heart attack, and a family history of cardiovascular disease were associated with increased ACS-related chest pain risk. Patients without ACS more frequently reported left or central chest pain, mild discomfort, pain triggered by activity, and relief with rest or nitroglycerin. ACS-related chest pain was more often characterized by pain radiating to the back, a sensation of tightness or severe discomfort, gradual intensity increase, occurrence at rest or with minimal exertion, and accompanying sweating. No significant sex differences were found in ACS-related chest pain symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Targeted assessment of chest pain features-such as pain radiation, pressure sensation, symptom escalation, duration, activity triggers, and relief factors-could improve public awareness and support the development of educational resources on ACS and non-ACS symptoms.

Pre-hospital delay in Vietnamese patients hospitalized with a first acute myocardial infarction: A short report

Background: Administration of coronary reperfusion therapy to patients with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) within the proper timeframe is essential in avoiding clinical complications and death. However, the extent of pre-hospital delay is unexplored in Vietnam. This report aims to describe the duration of pre-hospital delay of Hanoi residents hospitalized with a first AMI at the Vietnam National Heart Institute .   Methods: A total of 103 Hanoi residents hospitalized at the largest tertiary care medical center in the city for first AMI, who have information on  prehospital delay was included in this report. Results: One third of the study sample was women and mean age was 66 years. The mean and median pre-hospital delay duration were 14.9 hours and 4.8 hours, respectively. The proportion of patients who delayed <6 , 6-<12, and ≥ 12 hours were 45%, 13%, and 42%, respectively. Conclusions: Our data shows that a prolonged pre-hospital delay is often observed in patients with a first AMI in Vietnam. In order to confirm these preliminary descriptive findings, a full-scale investigation of all Hanoi residents hospitalized with first AMI is needed. Increasing public awareness about AMI treatment is vital in encouraging patients to seek medical care timely after experiencing AMI symptoms such that received treatment is most effective.