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| Heart attack plan 'to save lives' | Heart attack plan 'to save lives' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of lives will be saved every year with the introduction of a "gold standard" treatment for heart attacks across England, say ministers. | Hundreds of lives will be saved every year with the introduction of a "gold standard" treatment for heart attacks across England, say ministers. |
| A balloon and tube are used to unblock arteries and permit blood flow. A death rate cut from 7% to 5% is predicted, saving about 240 lives a year. | A balloon and tube are used to unblock arteries and permit blood flow. A death rate cut from 7% to 5% is predicted, saving about 240 lives a year. |
| The government wants 97% of eligible heart attack patients to have a primary angioplasty within three years. | |
| Currently only 25% get the surgery, with the rest given clot-busting drugs. | Currently only 25% get the surgery, with the rest given clot-busting drugs. |
| About 25,000 people a year will be eligible for primary angioplasty, with the three-year target costing about £12m. | About 25,000 people a year will be eligible for primary angioplasty, with the three-year target costing about £12m. |
| They might have to pass a couple of hospitals they would normally go to but it's worth travelling a bit further to get the right treatment Professor Roger Boyle Q&A: Primary angioplasty | They might have to pass a couple of hospitals they would normally go to but it's worth travelling a bit further to get the right treatment Professor Roger Boyle Q&A: Primary angioplasty |
| Although the treatment works out around £800 more expensive per patient than clot-busting drugs, it is cost-effective because it is better at preventing future problems such as another heart attack or a stroke, research shows. | Although the treatment works out around £800 more expensive per patient than clot-busting drugs, it is cost-effective because it is better at preventing future problems such as another heart attack or a stroke, research shows. |
| Access | Access |
| In some areas of the country, including 10 pilot hospitals, primary angioplasty is already widely available. | In some areas of the country, including 10 pilot hospitals, primary angioplasty is already widely available. |
| Last year in London, only six patients were treated with traditional thrombolysis treatment to thin the blood. | Last year in London, only six patients were treated with traditional thrombolysis treatment to thin the blood. |
| For the treatment to work, it has to be done quickly. NHS research shows that patients need to have the procedure within two hours of having the heart attack. | |
| But in areas such as Cumbria and East Anglia, carrying out primary angioplasty instead of thrombolysis within the key two-hour window will require much reorganisation of existing services. | But in areas such as Cumbria and East Anglia, carrying out primary angioplasty instead of thrombolysis within the key two-hour window will require much reorganisation of existing services. |
| It is envisaged that regional cardiac networks will have a rota of cardiologists working in a specialist centre around the clock. | It is envisaged that regional cardiac networks will have a rota of cardiologists working in a specialist centre around the clock. |
| Ambulance services will be expected to diagnose the problem and rush patients to the specialist centre, bypassing more local district general hospitals on the way. | Ambulance services will be expected to diagnose the problem and rush patients to the specialist centre, bypassing more local district general hospitals on the way. |
| Government heart tsar, Professor Roger Boyle, said: "It requires a lot of reorganisation of services - speed is of the essence. | Government heart tsar, Professor Roger Boyle, said: "It requires a lot of reorganisation of services - speed is of the essence. |
| "The paramedic makes the diagnosis and decides where to deliver the patient. | "The paramedic makes the diagnosis and decides where to deliver the patient. |
| "They might have to pass a couple of hospitals they would normally go to but it's worth travelling a bit further to get the right treatment." | "They might have to pass a couple of hospitals they would normally go to but it's worth travelling a bit further to get the right treatment." |
| He added the NHS already had enough cardiologists to do the operations. | He added the NHS already had enough cardiologists to do the operations. |
| Similar schemes are being set up in Scotland and Wales, he said. | Similar schemes are being set up in Scotland and Wales, he said. |
| Dr Miles Dalby, consultant cardiologist at Harefield Hospital in north London, said patients who had thrombolysis often ended up having angioplasty a few days later anyway. | Dr Miles Dalby, consultant cardiologist at Harefield Hospital in north London, said patients who had thrombolysis often ended up having angioplasty a few days later anyway. |
| "It means the length of stay in hospital and recovery is dramatically reduced. | "It means the length of stay in hospital and recovery is dramatically reduced. |
| The health service must ensure that sufficient resources are committed for this to occur Professor Peter Weissberg, British Heart Foundation | The health service must ensure that sufficient resources are committed for this to occur Professor Peter Weissberg, British Heart Foundation |
| "As soon as the blockage is opened most patients have a dramatic improvement in their chest pain," he said. | "As soon as the blockage is opened most patients have a dramatic improvement in their chest pain," he said. |
| As one of the pilot sites, Harefield has treated hundreds of patients this way, achieving an average of 23 minutes from arrival to treatment. | As one of the pilot sites, Harefield has treated hundreds of patients this way, achieving an average of 23 minutes from arrival to treatment. |
| Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, agreed primary angioplasty should be the "gold standard" treatment. | Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, agreed primary angioplasty should be the "gold standard" treatment. |
| But he said: "The health service must ensure that sufficient resources are committed for this to occur. | |
| "We must not replace a first-class thrombolysis service, which is proven to save lives, with a second-class angioplasty service which might not." | "We must not replace a first-class thrombolysis service, which is proven to save lives, with a second-class angioplasty service which might not." |