Mycardial Infarction Quality Indicators
Door to Balloon Time
"Door to Balloon (D2B): An Alliance for Quality" is a national initiative from the American College of Cardiology that focuses on a rapid response time for emergency cardiac patients. The national initiative aims to increase patient survival rates by accelerating treatment of a common type of heart attack, known as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The length of time between a patient's first symptoms of a heart attack and when treatment begins is critical to reduce the damage to the heart from lack of oxygen.
One of the most effective treatments for STEMI is angioplasty, which uses a small balloon to open blocked arteries. Door-to-balloon time refers to the interval between a patient's arrival at a hospital and the insertion of an angioplasty balloon into their artery. Current guidelines call for D2B to be accomplished within 90 minutes, an interval in which STEMI patients have the best outcomes.
Does UVa meet the 90-minute guideline for D2B time for heart attack patients?Yes. In fact, since mid-September 2006, 100 percent of eligible heart attack patients have had a D2B time of 70 minutes or less with the average D2B time being 48 minutes. UVa's advanced processes and standards of care means that heart attack patients receive life-saving interventions up to 40 minutes sooner that national guidelines recommend.
