# PhD Thesis Dr Amir Faour completed his Doctor of Philosophy at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, with doctoral work focused on STEMI systems of care and reperfusion therapy. ## Thesis **Computer-Assisted Electrocardiogram Interpretation and Reperfusion Therapy in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction** - **Institution:** The University of New South Wales, Sydney. - **School:** South Western Sydney Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine. - **Degree:** Doctor of Philosophy. - **Submitted:** December 2022. - **Published:** 2023. - **Supervisors:** Professor John French and Professor Craig Juergens. - **DOI:** [10.26190/unsworks/24933](https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/24933). - **Repository:** [UNSWorks thesis record](https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/entities/publication/beddc1f6-e473-44f8-bd95-ce1e95665c1e). - **PDF:** [Download Thesis PDF](https://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/bitstreams/7af64cab-2e26-4df3-bf0a-bbad221feae5/download). ## Summary The thesis examined systems of care for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), with a focus on prehospital ECG interpretation, cardiac catheterisation laboratory activation decisions, patient outcomes after STEMI-like ECG presentations, and reperfusion therapy in rescue PCI. The work included three major components: - Evaluation of computer-assisted prehospital ECG interpretation and transmission for interventional cardiologist consultation. - Assessment of late outcomes among patients with prehospital STEMI criteria in whom the cardiac catheterisation laboratory was not activated. - A randomised trial comparing bivalirudin with heparin-based therapy in patients undergoing rescue PCI after fibrinolysis. Together, these studies addressed practical questions in STEMI triage and reperfusion care: how to reduce inappropriate catheterisation laboratory activation, how to understand risk in patients whose ECGs mimic STEMI, and how best to manage antithrombotic therapy during rescue PCI. [[Research/Overview|← Back to Research Overview]]