Heart attack care plan 'to stay'

Heart attack victims benefit from quick treatment

A pilot project to speed up how to treat heart attacks in the Lothians has been made a permanent service.

It gives patients suffering from the type of heart attack where a blood clot blocks a heart artery the most effective treatment.

Ambulance crews call doctors for advice over whether the patient should be given clot-busting drugs or taken straight to an angioplasty hospital.

The decision is based on what the likely travel time will be to hospital.

Our team are overwhelmed by the obvious improvement in patients who have undergone this procedure Dr Andrew Flapan NHS Lothian

During the 12 month trial, more than two-thirds of patients were treated using balloon angioplasty.

Dr Charles Winstanley, NHS Lothian chairman, said: "NHS Lothian is leading the way in providing the best possible care for heart attack patients.

"This pioneering programme enables us to work closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service, to make sure patients receive the best treatment within the shortest possible period of time.

"The time saved in making immediate decisions about the best course of treatment could potentially be the difference between life and death."

Clot-busting

Dr Andrew Flapan, NHS Lothian head of cardiology services, said: "We are delighted that NHS Lothian has provided funding for the continuation of this programme.

"Our team are overwhelmed by the obvious improvement in patients who have undergone this procedure.

"We have demonstrated that ambulance paramedics and coronary care experts can make live decisions on the best option for heart attack patients across Lothian, including both clot-busting drugs and primary angioplasty.

"We are now working with colleagues nationwide in striving for optimal reperfusion therapy for all heart attack patients across Scotland."

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "The Scottish Government is committed to providing the best possible care for heart attack patients.

"By supporting frontline staff with modern healthcare techniques and specialist cardiac centres, we can help to save lives and improve the daily lives of heart attack patients in Scotland.

"That is why we were pleased to provide funding of £500,000 to pilot this pioneering project and welcome the joint commitment of NHS Lothian and the Scottish Ambulance Service to continue to provide this treatment programme."