Table 2.

A comparison of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and sepsis

	AMI	Sepsis
Market issues	Significant publicity surrounding and general awareness of the condition; large trials	Lack of understanding among physicians and the general public
Diagnosis	A relatively straightforward and relatively common diagnosis (electrocardiogram, enzymes, troponin), and one that can be made by generalists, not just cardiology specialists	Complicated by a long list of signs and symptoms and few objective tools for validation
Comorbidities	Generally single organ disease (notable exception when complicated by cardiogenic shock)	Often chronic or acute comorbidities
Physician education	Generalists have been taught to recognize the signs and symptoms of AMI; initial treatment is usually provided by emergency physicians, who are trained to treat these patients	Sepsis patients often come 'second hand' from a specialist who may not be appropriately trained to diagnose, manage, and refer patients with sepsis