Door-to-balloon (D2B) times within the recommended guidelines reduce 1-year mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who present to the hospital early (= 90 minutes), with the greatest benefit seen in those who also are at high risk. On the other hand, timely primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has less impact in patients who arrive at the hospital later, according to a study published in the June 27, 2010, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
