THE heart and lung team at the Golden Jubilee Foundation has introduced an innovative model of care that allows direct referral and admission for patients who have suffered a high-risk heart attack.

Previously, patients presenting with a NSTEMI (Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction), were admitted to their local hospital and then transferred to the Golden Jubilee for treatment, which introduces potential delays for the highest risk patients.

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Evidence demonstrates that patients presenting with a high risk NSTEMI should undergo angiography and revascularisation within 24 hours of admission to get the maximum clinical benefit.

To achieve this, the Golden Jubilee has collaborated with referring hospitals and paramedic crews from the Scottish Ambulance Service to develop detailed NSTEMI protocols and re-design chest pain pathways to ensure high risk patients go directly to the Golden Jubilee.

Dr Mitchell Lindsay, lead consultant cardiologist at the Golden Jubilee, said: “Since 2008, the Golden Jubilee has directly admitted STEMI patients who need to be treated immediately.

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“By implementing this new way of working, the Golden Jubilee has now extended the benefit of direct admission to those patients in the west of Scotland who present with a high risk NSTEMI heart attack.

“Not only are these patients treated faster, maximising the clinical benefit of treatment, their stay in hospital is consequently significantly shorter.”