A suspected heart attack, or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), is an urgent medical emergency.  Rapid symptom recognition and medical intervention is critical. Survival after a heart attack depends on this early and timely response. Patients need to receive reperfusion therapy: thrombolytic agents within 30 minutes, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within two hours. After the critical initial response period, evidence shows that patients who receive aspirin, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and have their left ventricular function assessed experience better outcomes. Patients who smoke should receive smoking cessation counseling and all patients should receive clear and complete discharge instructions. Providing the right care to patients experiencing AMI promotes optimal outcomes.

Healthcare organizations recently launched a coalition, Alliance for Cardiac Care Excellence (ACE), to improve cardiac care nationwide. ACE coalition members will work to bridge the gap between the nationally accepted standards of care, clinical procedures and treatments proven to be effective and the actual care many adult cardiac patients currently receive.

For quality improvement resources and strategies, please view the AMI Documents and Links sections.