Time for action on heart attack treatment times

New research released today has highlighted the critical need for people experiencing heart attack warning signs to call an ambulance and get treatment fast.


Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) has revealed that getting fast access to
treatment is essential in preventing deaths from heart attack - but that Australian
responses are not good enough.
The study reveals that only 23% of heart attack (STEMI) patients are getting timely
access to treatment, despite time factors being essential in determining survival rates.
Cardiovascular disease is Australias number one killer with an average of one
Australian being hospitalised with a heart attack every nine minutes, Chief Medical
Adviser for the Heart Foundation, Professor James Tatoulis, said today.
The MJA study also found that, in Australia, hospitals are too slow to respond to
patients suffering a heart attack with either of the two main treatments for patients,
known as thrombolysis (clot-busting drugs) or PCI (inserting tiny balloons through
blood vessels to open blockages in heart arteries).
Importantly, the study finds that regardless of which of these treatments is used,
timeliness is the most significant factor in patient survival rates.
The National Heart Foundation of Australia said the findings were proof that more
action was needed to ensure Australians receive more timely treatment.
The Heart Foundation today called for four actions to improve treatment times:


1. Support from all governments for the Heart Foundations public
awareness Warning Signs campaign.
Patient delay is the main contributor to delays in treatment for heart attack with
50% of deaths occurring out of hospital. This mass media campaign aims to
increase awareness and confidence in recognising heart attack warning signs
and the need to get treatment, fast. For lives to be saved, the Heart
Foundation urges all Australians to be able to better identify and know the
warning signs of a heart attack and respond appropriately by calling Triple
Zero (000).


2. Introduction of performance indicators for call to treatment times or at
least hospital door to treatment times


3. Funding for heart attack and angina data registries to help identify gaps
and improve quality and treatment times

4. A national review of ambulance insurance schemes, to ensure everyone
is covered and subscription costs are not a barrier to calling an
ambulance when needed.
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