Published 24 June 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b2557
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b2557

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Audit finds big improvement in treatment of myocardial infarction

Jacqui Wise

1 London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

By the end of the year use of primary angioplasty to treat myocardial infarction will exceed that of thrombolytic treatment for the first time in England, says the eighth report of the myocardial ischaemia national audit project (MINAP).

In October 2008 the Department of Health recommended that primary angioplasty should take over from thrombolytic drugs as first line treatment for myocardial infarction (BMJ 2008;337:a2185, doi:10.1136/bmj.a2185). The aim is for coverage of 97% of patients by 2011. Primary angioplasty is associated with less mortality and has better longer term outcomes than thrombolysis, provided that the procedure is carried out within three hours of the onset of symptoms.

MINAP collected data from all hospitals and ambulance services in England and Wales that provide care for patients with a suspected heart attack. It found that in England 7351 patients were treated with primary angioplasty in 2008-9, representing 47% of all . . . [Full text of this article]


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