Reduction in treatment delay by paramedic ECG diagnosis of myocardial infarction with direct CCU admission.

Objectives: To establish the feasibility of training paramedics of diagnose acute myocardial infarction by ECG before hospital admission and whether direct paramedic coronary care admission, arranged by very high frequency (VHF) radio communication with the coronary care unit (CCU), would reduce delay of thrombolysis treatment.

Design: Prospective controlled study.

Setting: District general hospital CCU and a local district ambulance paramedic service.