Final answer:
The recommended ED door-to-balloon time for a STEMI patient is under 90 minutes to perform angioplasty, where a balloon and often a stent are used to open up a blocked artery and restore blood flow.
Step-by-step explanation:
The recommended Emergency Department (ED) door-to-balloon inflation time for a patient with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is ideally less than 90 minutes. This timeframe is critical for a procedure known as angioplasty, which is a lifesaving technique used to reopen a blocked coronary artery. In angioplasty, a balloon-tipped catheter is inserted into a blocked blood vessel to restore blood flow.
After reaching the site of occlusion, the balloon is inflated to compress the plaque against the artery walls, thus widening the vessel. Following this, a stent is often placed to keep the artery open and maintain adequate blood flow. It is essential to adhere to this recommended door-to-balloon time to improve outcomes for STEMI patients.