Each year, thousands of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) fail to receive critical reperfusion therapy for their infarct artery in a timely fashion. Even worse, nearly 30 percent of patients with STEMI do not receive any reperfusion treatment. 

Mission: Lifeline™ is the American Heart Association's national initiative to advance systems of care for STEMI patients. The initiative seeks to reduce mortality and morbidity and improve the overall quality of care for STEMI patients.

The ultimate goal of Mission: Lifeline™ is to save lives by closing the gaps that separate STEMI patients from timely access to the appropriate treatments.

What is STEMI?
STEMI is an abbreviation for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, a severe heart attack caused by a prolonged period of blocked blood supply that affects a large area of the heart. Almost 400,000 people suffer from a STEMI heart attack each year, which carries a substantial risk of death and disability.