STEMI Assistant is a condensed 42 page reference manual for health care practitioners who care for patients experiencing acute ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).   STEMI Assistant presents the latest evidence-based practices described in the American College of Cardiology (ACC) / American Heart Association (AHA)  2013 STEMI Guidelines, AHA/ACC 2014 Non-ST Elevation (NSTE)-ACS Guidelines and evidence based practices described in 19 additional recent scientific journal articles.

STEMI Assistant is designed to serve as both a classroom textbook and an emergency bedside reference.   It is formatted in a sequential, easy to follow order starting with basic definitions of typical and atypical symptoms of  Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), the latest AHA/ACC/Heart Rhythm Society guidelines for obtaining 12 and 18 Lead ECGs, accurate identification of pre-infarction and STEMI ECG patterns and the identification of STEMI when bundle branch blocks are present. 

Model protocols for hospital and pre-hospital practitioners describe the latest evidence based practices for the management of patients with acute chest pain, NSTE-ACS, and STEMI in PCI capable and non-PCI capable scenarios.   A generic Emergency Department Physician's STEMI order set reflects the latest AHA/ACC practices for the treatment of STEMI in the ER and satisfies multiple Key Items listed in the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care's Chest Pain Center accreditation standards. 

ACS Risk Stratification is presented, and features the HEART Score.  This section of the book was edited by  Barbra Backus, MD, PhD, the physician and research specialist who developed the HEART Score.   

Remote Ischemic Conditioning (RIC), an emerging non-invasive procedure proven to reduce myocardial injury from heart attack is introduced, along with a suggested protocol for its application.  RIC can be implemented by EMS personnel while enroute to a hospital or in the emergency department prior to cardiac catheterization. 

When used as an emergency bedside reference, the book cover features a 12 Lead ECG divided into five color-coded anatomic regions of the heart.  Arrows lead from each anatomic region and point to the page number where information specific to each type of STEMI can be found.  The information provided advises the clinician of the coronary artery that is most likely occluded, specific complications to anticipate and special considerations that should be observed based on correlations of abnormal ST patterns with common coronary artery anatomy as described in multiple evidence-based publications.

The editorial review team for the STEMI Alert project:

Barbra Backus, MD, PhD - University Medical Center, Utrecht, Netherlands

Anna Ek, RN, BSN,  Accreditation Specialist,  The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care

Michael R Gunderson,  National Director of IT QI, American Heart Association

William Parker, PharmD, CGP, Director of Pharmacy Services, Bayfront Health Dade City

Please direct all correspondence and questions to:

Wayne Ruppert