In a two-year study of 37,233 heart attack patients, those who underwent angioplasty in a hospital that used that treatment most often had a 36% lower risk of dying in the hospital than patients who were treated in hospitals that use angioplasty or drug treatment interchangeably.
Reason: Hospitals that specialize in angioplasty (inserting a balloon and expanding it at the site of a blood clot) restored blood flow to patients' hearts with this procedure an average of 19 minutes faster than hospitals that performed angioplasty less often.
If you're at risk for heart attack: Ask your doctor which hospitals in your area specialize in angioplasty.
Want to Keep Reading?
Continue reading with a Health Confidential membership.
