Myocardial Infarction Quality Indicators
Availability of PCI
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a term that includes several non-surgical cardiac procedures: angioplasty; stent placement; and arthrectomy. Opening blocked coronary arteries as quickly as possible is the main goal of emergency treatment for persons having a heart attack, and the ready availability of multiple strategies for opening blocked arteries increases patient treatment options.
Certain patients will benefit from rapid reperfusion (re-entry of blood into area where flow has been reduced) through the use of percutaneous coronary interventions such as angioplasty. Angioplasty is a procedure that uses a balloon-tipped catheter tube, which is inserted into a leg artery and then advanced to the heart to open blocked arteries that cause heart attacks. Other patients may benefit from coronary stent placement or arthrectomy. Not all patients need PCI to open blocked arteries, but for those who do, the goal is to do it in a timely manner. (American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association 2001 Guidelines for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention)
According to The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for The Management of Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction, angioplasty may be used as an alternative to thrombolytic therapy (medication that disrupts blood-clot formation) in patients where this medication is contraindicated; it may also be used in addition to thrombolytic therapy.
Does UVa have percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), such as angioplasty, available?
Yes. UVa's physicians offer PCI procedures to eligible heart attack patients. Medical services include primary angioplasty, stent placement, arthrectomy and thrombolytic therapy. These treatments are offered 24/7 in conjunction with a dedicated 10-bed Coronary Care Unit with continuous monitoring. In addition, UVa offers the skills and expertise of cardiovascular surgeons 24/7 in the event that chest pain is due to a condition requiring emergency heart surgery.
