Prehospital misdiagnosis of acute cerebral disease for acute coronary syndrome: a retrospective study.

Acute cerebral disease misdiagnosed for ACS seems more common than assumed. Out of 758 patients with presumed ACS, 9 patients (1.2%) suffered from ACD, which were cerebrovascular accidents mainly. This is highly relevant, since prehospital treatment with heparin and acetylsalicylic acid is indicated in ACS but contraindicated in cerebrovascular accidents without further diagnostics. Thus, discriminating these patients is crucial. An attentive patient history and examination may be the key to differentiating ACD. Due to small ACD group size, further studies are needed.