NHS makes 'constant improvement' in heart attack treatment

Hospital care for patients in England and Wales who have had a heart attack is constantly improving, according to an audit carried out by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).

The third annual report, published today, showed that most hospitals are now reaching the 30-minute door-to-needle goal for giving patients clot-busting (thrombolytic) drugs following a heart attack.

This saves lives and has contributed to the overall decline in deaths from heart disease, the study found. Most hospitals have also improved their performance against goals since last year’s audit report.

The third annual report of MINAP - the Myocardial Infarction National Audit Project – found that, since the previous report for the year April 2002-March 2003, the percentage of hospitals achieving the door-to-needle goal has increased from 47.8% to 77.3%. Nearly all hospitals are already meeting the goals for prescribing drugs to reduce the risk of another heart attack – national averages for aspirin 97%, beta blockers 89% and statins 93%.

Before the project started in 2000 very few hospitals were reaching the goal for giving patients clot-busting drugs. In the first six months of 2001 less than 50% of patients were receiving treatment in 30 minutes. Data for the first three months of 2004 shows sustained improvement with a national average of 81% of patients achieving the 30-minute thrombolysis goal, and 49% achieving the 60-minute standard.

Dr John Birkhead, MINAP Clinical Lead, said: “This report shows evidence of continued improvement on the part of hospitals, throughout the country reflecting consistent hard work by all those responsible for the care of heart attack patients.”

National Clinical Director for Heart Disease Dr Roger Boyle said that the treatment of heart attack patients has been revolutionised over the past few years.

"Continuing to deliver an annual improvement of this magnitude will be challenging. Further progress on the 60-minute target will depend on giving thrombolysis pre-hospital. The introduction of paramedic led pre-hospital services hold the key to ensuring that every heart attack patient receives optimal treatment,“ he said.

The audit was first developed to show how hospitals were performing against goals in the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, a 10-year programme published by the Department of Health in March 2000 to improve prevention diagnosis and treatment.

(gmcg)