Although optimum treatment for patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction has been established through randomized clinical trials, the majority of patients do not receive all the guideline-recommended therapies promptly. In this Review, Keith Fox and Kurt Huber present a European perspective on the disparities between the evidence base and clinical practice in the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and propose that an integrated network of care, aimed at minimizing delays between symptom onset and treatment, is essential to improving outcomes among these patients.
