University team reveals coronary care inequalities

Hospital heart attack death rates have made significant improvements across all age groups in England and Wales but there are still “worrying” inequalities in heart attack management for the elderly, a study funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) has shown.

The Leeds University research, published in the European Heart Journal, showed that the risk of a heart patient dying in hospital almost halved across all age groups between 2003 and 2010.

But patients aged 85 or over were less likely than other age groups to receive specialist care from a cardiologist once in hospital and vital heart medicines upon discharge.

Chief researcher Dr Chris Gale praised the National Service Framework (NSF) for coronary heart disease, a 10-year strategy that began in 2000.

“The NSF has led the NHS to make great strides in heart attack treatment by ensuring the best proven treatments are available to heart patients across England and Wales,” he said.