The study was set up to investigate factors delaying treatment of acut
e myocardial infarction. Nine hundred and sixty-seven Austrian physici
ans submitted data on their most recent case of myocardial infarction
in a cross-sectional study. Mean time for seeking medical care was 111
min from onset; mean admission time to the hospital was 136 min. The
degree of anxiety and fear perceived by the patient was positively ass
ociated with an earlier decision. Adjusted means of decision time acco
rding to degree of fear ranged from 29 to 133 min, adjusted means of a
dmission time from 77 to 153 min. Decision time and admission time wer
e negatively associated with the presence of typical symptoms and a hi
story of myocardial infarction. Adjusted means of decision time accord
ing to symptom-history category ranged from 75 to 134 min, adjusted me
ans of admission time from 110 to 151 min. Admission time was also hig
her in men when patients lived alone, and if the journey to the hospit
al was a 40 min or more car drive (i.e. 90th percentile). We conclude
that measures that increase awareness in patients at risk are vital to
reduce delays in seeking medical care and hospital admission, and thu
s to improve the prognosis of acute myocardial infarction.