How does delaying treatment affect the long-term prognosis for patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with primary coronary angioplasty?

Background: The benefit of thrombolysis in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) strongly depends on the time from the onset of symptoms to the initiation of treatment. For AMI patients treated with percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) this delay of treatment seems to be important only up to a certain time level.

Aim: To assess the effects of time to treatment of AMI with PCI on the short- and long-term prognosis.