The Concept of "Golden Time": A Window of Opportunity for Impact
Emergency Medicine's "Golden Hour"
In trauma care, the idea of the "golden hour" is crucial, particularly in situations involving serious injuries, heart attacks, strokes, or accidents. It alludes to the crucial hour following a traumatic incident, when medical intervention stands the best chance of averting permanent harm or death. Dr. R. Adams Cowley, a surgeon who highlighted the significance of prompt medical intervention in the 1970s, popularized the concept. The assumption that prompt action saves lives has been modified by contemporary research, which indicates that the timescale may vary depending on the type of trauma.
