March 25th, 2014

Researchers in Sweden and the United Kingdom analyzed data from 120,000 Swedish patients and 400,000 UK patients who had heart attacks between 2004 and 2010.  According to the study published in the Lancet, patients in the UK had an increased risk of death, which may have resulted in 11,263 more deaths (in contrast to Sweden) over the course of the study.

Turns out, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (stent) was utilized at least twice as more in Sweden, and Sweden also used beta-blockers for more patients.  So, although these two nations have similar medical technologies, under-utilizing such advances have contributed to large differences in the management and outcomes of patients.

Back in the U.S., Mayo Clinic researchers have found that short term mortality was 6% higher when heart attack patients arrived at the ER during off hours.  Patients with large STEMI heart attacks were 60% less likely to undergo stent intervention if they arrived during off hours.

The data can be traced to the fact that cardiologists and cardiac catheterization laboratory staff may not be available at certain times.  This can be unsettling for many, since it points out that patients suffering heart attacks at night or on a weekend will not have equal access to life-sustaining technologies.
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