PP029 AN AUDIT ON DURATION OF AN ECG PERFORMED IN SUSPECTED ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME (ACS) PATIENT FROM FIRST MEDICAL CONTACT

Abstract

BACKGROUND

ACS is a general diagnosis that includes unstable angina and myocardial infarction (ST elevation and non-ST elevation). ECG remains the most widely used initial screening tool for the patient who presented with symptoms of ACS. The duration of an ECG taken for patient presented with ACS symptoms is crucial. This is because it helps in supporting the diagnosis of ACS and also allows early interventions to be carried out to prevent further myocardium death thus better clinical outcome.

AIM

To assess the adherence of Emergency Department (ED) Hospital Sungai Buloh to the Malaysia Clinical Practice Guideline on suspected ACS patient to have their ECG done within 10 minutes of first medical contact in the ED.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study that identify patient presented to the ED with symptoms suspicious of ACS and received an initial hospital ECG from 26/2/2018 to 16/3/2018.The patients were only identified from the yellow and red zone in the ED. The time of first medical contact was defined as the time of the patient registered to the system.

RESULTS

In total of 80 patients, there were only 41.3% of suspected ACS patients had their ECG done within 10 minutes from first medical contact.

CONCLUSIONS

More than half of the patients presented with symptoms of suspicious of ACS did not get their ECG done within 10 minutes of first medical contact in the ED. Most of the causes of the delay are preventable and several changes can be made to increase the adherence.