Heart attack survival rates influenced by time of arrival at hospital

The time at which heart attack patients arrive at the hospital may affect their chances for survival, new research published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes suggests.
Research shows that heart attack patients who arrive at the hospital at nighttime, during the weekend or on a holiday have a 13% increased risk of dying, compared with patients who arrive during regular hours.
Every year, millions of people suffer a ST-elevation myocardial infarction — the most severe type of heart attack, which is caused by a complete blockage of blood flow to the heart. Restoring blood flow as quickly as possible by giving clot-busting medication or performing an angioplasty to open the blocked vessel is critical for survival, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
During angioplasty, a catheter or tube with a deflated balloon at the tip is threaded into the heart. The balloon is then inflated in the blocked artery to restore blood flow. A mesh tube, called a stent, may also be implanted to help keep the artery open.
Patients who arrived at the emergency room at night, on the weekend or during a holiday have a longer waiting time than people who come on regular business hour. The AHA recommends patients who have a ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergo an angioplasty within 90 minutes.