A new report from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, MD, concludes that reducing the length of time it takes patients to seek treatment for symptoms of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can reduce complications and potentially lower inpatient length of stay. Factors that contribute to prehospital delay include: older age, female gender, low socioeconomic status, history of angina or diabetes, consulting a spouse or physician, and self-treatment. To reduce the likelihood of treatment delay among high-risk patients, discharge planners should provide information about typical symptoms of AMI and specific actions to take if symptoms occur. Education materials, written at a sixth-grade level, should be used to reinforce the verbal message.