Patients’ views of consent for research enrollment during acute myocardial infarction

AbstractObjective: The goal of this study was to improve understanding of patients’ perspectives of informed consent for clinical trial enrollment during ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Background: STEMI research poses challenges regarding informed consent due to time constraints, symptom severity, and potential cognitive impairment.Methods: An interview study was embedded within a clinical trial of an ischemic post-conditioning procedure for STEMI. An interactive, structured interview guide was used.Results: Twenty interviews were conducted (median 1.5 days after initial procedure). Only 11/20 (55%) initially remembered being asked to participate in a trial. Comprehension of study details and the research process was limited; for example, many patients believed their decision was primarily clinical or that the study intervention was clearly superior. Patients described limitations regarding their ability to make a decision, including pain, discomfort, lack of time, and stress. However, patient...