Acute heart attack remains the leading cause of death in Slovakia, and the outcome is often decided in minutes. It is crucial to recognize the diagnosis quickly from the ECG and begin catheterization treatment within the recommended ischemic time of 90 minutes. The Slovak PM Cardio app, powered by artificial intelligence, speeds up this process and is already helping diagnose most cases.
When every minute counts: what happens during a heart attack
During an acute heart attack, the artery supplying the heart muscle closes, and without oxygen, cells begin to die. Life-saving, minimally invasive catheter-based treatment using stents and balloons can open the blockage and restore blood flow. The sooner the vessel is opened, the smaller the permanent damage to the heart muscle.
International guidelines call for an ischemic time of up to 90 minutes and for the diagnosis to be made within 10 minutes after the first ECG. In Slovakia, however, rapid ECG interpretation at first contact often fails, and patients are sent to a cardiac center by secondary transfer only after being diagnosed at a local hospital. Such delays increase the risk of lasting consequences. This is also why one in seven patients with an acute heart attack dies within a year, and many leave cardiac centers with newly diagnosed heart failure.
Artificial intelligence for your ECG: the PM Cardio app
PM Cardio is a certified medical device in the form of a smartphone app that instantly recognizes an acute heart attack from any ECG. It uses artificial intelligence trained on millions of records from previous patients. Thanks to this, it provides a clinician with an answer within seconds and guides the patient onto the right pathway to a cardiac center. Cardiology institutes collaborated on its rollout in Slovakia.
According to real-world experience, the app already helps diagnose more than half of acute heart attacks and shortens time to treatment by hours. In one real case, a young patient with an occlusion of the main coronary artery reached treatment in 54 minutes when a paramedic, aided by the app, made the diagnosis and immediately activated the cardiac center. Scientific teams have repeatedly validated the technology and published in renowned journals. The latest results were presented at the TCT conference in San Francisco, and an American cardiology society called it a significant advance in detecting acute heart attacks.
What we can do today
Even the best technology saves lives only if first-contact clinicians can access it in time. A rapid ECG and its correct interpretation within 10 minutes remain crucial to properly activating the cardiac center. System improvements, training, and the availability of tools at first contact can shorten critical delays.
The public also plays a decisive role: if chest pain persists for more than 10 minutes, call emergency services immediately. Slovakia has long underperformed on this indicator, and unnecessary waiting worsens the prognosis. In a heart attack, every minute counts.
