Acute Myocardial Infarction: From the New Guideline to the Particularities of Out-of-Hospital Care - A Narrative Review

Authors

  • Vasco Soares da Veiga National Institute of Medical Emergency Author
  • Margarida Isabel Fortunato de Carvalho National Institute of Medical Emergency Author
  • Carla Alexandra de Sousa Boura Santos Cristino National Institute of Medical Emergency Author
  • Tiago Nobre Dias National Institute of Medical Emergency Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63176/z8spjd39

Keywords:

Acute Myocardial Infarction with ST-segment elevation, Critical Care Nursing, Emergency Medical Services, Pre-Hospital Care

Abstract

Introduction: Acute myocardial infarction is a time-dependent clinical condition associated with high morbidity and mortality, requiring an integrated prehospital and in-hospital response. Recent recommendations from the European Society of Cardiology emphasize evidence-based clinical practice.

Objetives: To analyse and discuss the applicability of the 2023 ESC recommendations for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the pre-hospital emergency setting, focusing on the contribution of specialist critical care nursing.

Methods: Narrative literature review, with searches conducted in Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Google Scholar, including articles published between 2018 and 2024, in Portuguese, English, and French.

Results: The reviewed evidence highlights the relevance of early clinical assessment, timely electrocardiographic evaluation, rapid activation of reperfusion pathways, and individualized prehospital therapy in improving clinical outcomes.

Conclusions: Structured application of international recommendations in the prehospital context enhances care quality for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and underscores the central role of specialist nursing practice.

References

Thygesen K, Alpert JS, Jaffe AS, Chaitman BR, Bax JJ, Morrow DA, et al. Fourth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (2018). Circulation. 2018;138(20):e618–51. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000617. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000617

Byrne RA, Rossello X, Coughlan JJ, Barbato E, Berry C, Chieffo A, et al. 2023 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes. Eur Heart J. 2023;44(38):3720–826. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad191. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad191

Kulkarni AU, Brown R, Ayoubi M, Banka VS. Clinical use of posterior electrocardiographic leads: A prospective electrocardiographic analysis during coronary occlusion. Am Heart J. 1996;131(4):736–41. doi:10.1016/S0002-8703(96)90280-X. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8703(96)90280-X

Terkelsen CJ. System delay and mortality among patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. JAMA. 2010;304(7):763–71. doi:10.1001/jama.2010.1139. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2010.1139

Dawson LP, Nehme E, Nehme Z, Zomer E, Bloom J, Cox S, et al. Chest pain management using prehospital point-of-care troponin and paramedic risk assessment. JAMA Intern Med. 2023;183(3):203–11. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.6409. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.6409

Kubica J, Adamski P, Ładny JR, Kaźmierczak J, Fabiszak T, Filipiak KJ, et al. Pre-hospital treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome: Recommendations for medical emergency teams. Expert position update 2022. Cardiol J. 2022;29(4):540–52. doi:10.5603/CJ.a2022.0026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5603/CJ.a2022.0026

Scharf RE. Platelet signaling in primary haemostasis and arterial thrombus formation: Part 1. Hamostaseologie. 2018;38(4):203–10. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1673665. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1675144

Akbar H, Foth C, Kahloon RA, Mountfort S. Acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.

D’Entremont M, Laferrière C, Bérubé S, Couture ÉL, Lepage S, Huynh T, et al. The effect of ASA, ticagrelor, and heparin in ST-segment myocardial infarction patients with prolonged transport times to primary percutaneous intervention. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2021;97(4):591–9. doi:10.1002/ccd.29144. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ccd.29144

Fabris E, Menzio S, Gregorio C, Pezzato A, Stolfo D, Aleksova A, et al. Effect of prehospital treatment in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2022;99(5):1500–8. doi:10.1002/ccd.30153. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ccd.30153

Hautamäki M, Lyytikäinen L, Eskola M, Lehtimäki T, Nikus K, Oksala N, et al. Prehospital adenosine diphosphate receptor blocker use, culprit artery flow, and mortality in STEMI: the MADDEC Study. Clin Drug Investig. 2021;41(7):605–13. doi:10.1007/s40261-021-01045-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40261-021-01045-2

Tavenier AH, Hermanides RS, Ottervanger JP, Tolsma R, Van Beurden A, Slingerland RJ, et al. Impact of opioids on P2Y12 receptor inhibition in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction pre-treated with crushed ticagrelor: ON-TIME 3 trial. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Pharmacother. 2022;8(1):4–12. doi:10.1093/ehjcvp/pvaa095. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcvp/pvaa095

Lapostolle F, Lambert Y, Petrovic T. Prise en charge de l’infarctus avant l’hôpital: identifions nos ennemis. Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris). 2021;70(6):369–72. doi:10.1016/j.ancard.2021.10.017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancard.2021.10.017

Martin LK, Lewis VJ, Clark D, Murphy MC, Edvardsson D, Stub D, Farouque O. Frontline barriers to effective paramedic and emergency nursing STEMI management. Australas Emerg Care. 2020;23(2):126–36. doi:10.1016/j.auec.2019.12.001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.auec.2019.12.001

Direção-Geral da Saúde (PT). Norma n.º 003/2025 – Via Verde Coronária no Adulto. Lisboa: DGS; 2025.

Published

2026-04-28

How to Cite

Soares da Veiga, V., Carvalho, M. I. F. de, Cristino, C. A. de S. B. S., & Dias, T. N. (2026). Acute Myocardial Infarction: From the New Guideline to the Particularities of Out-of-Hospital Care - A Narrative Review. Critical Patient - Scientific Journal of the Portuguese Society of Critical Care Nurses, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.63176/z8spjd39

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.