Does emergency transportation induce stress in ACS patients?
UK ambulance service guidelines note that patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) should be transferred to hospital as blue-light emergencies. This study examines whether emergency transportation increases stress levels in patients with ACS. Patients aged between 50 and 90 years with clinical signs of ACS were screened for inclusion in the trial and 32 patients consented to participate. Venous plasma levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine and lactate as well as pain and anxiety scores were measured before and after transportation to hospital. In addition, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation were recorded every 3 minutes.