are based on the likelihood that most patients can reach a catheter laboratory, preferably within 90 minutes after first medical contact, if an appropriate network logistic has been established. Furthermore, the ESC Guidelines do not demand cardiac surgery on-site for PCI, since so many more hospitals are in a position to offer high-quality PCI. But the number one rule, worldwide, is: as soon as the patients feel chest pain, like a heart attack (especially those patients who have previously had a heart attack), they must immediately call or let somebody call for an ambulance. Even the best physician cannot help if the delay is too great.

Summary of ESC PCI Guidelines

These Guidelines aim to present all the relevant evidence on PCI in order to help physicians weigh the risks and benefits of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in their daily clinical decision-making. 30 pages of practically-oriented recommendations address when to perform PCI on the basis of currently available, peer-reviewed, published data, derived from randomised and nonrandomised clinical studies. A top-line summary of these recommendations follows:

1. PCI can be considered a valuable initial mode of revascularisation in all coronary artery disease patients with objective large ischaemia, and this is the case for every lesion subset except chronic total occlusions that cannot be crossed.

2. The addition of stents and newer adjunctive medications has improved PCI outcome. The decision to recommend PCI or CABG surgery will be guided by technical improvements in cardiology or surgery, local expertise and patients' preference.

3. Until proven otherwise, PCI should be used only with reservation in diabetics with multi-vessel disease and in patients with unprotected left main stenosis (although developments in drug-eluting stents may eventually alter this situation).

4. Patients presenting with NSTE-ACS (unstable angina or myocardial in
'"/>

Contact: Camilla Dormer
cdormer@escardio.org
33-492-94-8627
European Society of Cardiology
22-Mar-2005


Page: 1 2 3 4 5
Related medicine news :

1. Guide to releases
2. USP releases first-ever case study book to advance medication error prevention
3. USP releases fourth annual report on medication errors in U.S. hospitals
4. Mayo Clinic proceedings releases West Nile virus manuscript early to aid clinicians, public
5. NIAID releases 20th anniversary edition of Jordan Report on vaccine research
6. Childrens Hospital Boston releases results at the American Academy of Pediatrics Annual Meeting
7. The lancet specialty journals press releases
8. Journal of Rehabilitation R&D releases latest issue
9. Medical press releases may exaggerate results and fail to include study limitations
10. ACP-ASIM releases plan to eliminate uninsured by 2009
11. HFES releases new multiperspective book on team activities