New Jersey Leads Country on American College of Cardiology's Initiative to Improve Care for Cardiac Arrest Patients.

Nationwide Program Will Reduce the Time It Takes for Patients to Receive Treatment

PARSIPPANY, N.J. -- After nationwide launch of the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) "Door-to-Balloon (D2B): An Alliance for Quality" initiative in December, the state of New Jersey currently leads the country with the highest number -- 20 in all -- of participating hospitals.

The D2B campaign gives hospitals guidelines and suggestions on how to reduce a cardiac arrest patient's door-to-balloon time -- the amount of time between a patient's initial arrival at the hospital and the opening of the blocked artery with an angioplasty balloon. Several national healthcare organizations, including the American Heart Association (AHA), are participating in the campaign, hoping to address an issue that has challenged hospitals for close to 20 years.

"Many of our hospitals strive to deliver superior treatment in a short amount of time, but without an industry-wide program and a detailed strategy for making the necessary changes, several fall short of meeting the standard," says Mark Zucker, president of the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, the group that spearheaded the effort that made New Jersey number one in the country. "Every hospital that joins the alliance demonstrates its commitment to patients by streamlining existing procedures and providing prompt, life-saving treatment."

Based on previously published guidelines developed by the ACC and AHA, the D2B campaign strongly recommends that patients receive treatment within 90 minutes, which increases the likelihood of surviving a common type of heart attack called ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and reduces the risk of severe heart muscle damage. Currently, only 20 percent of U.S. hospitals are treating patients within this timeframe.

A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine surveyed 365 hospitals to find the most effective strategies in reducing door-to-balloon time. Things that were found to be the most effective were having activating the cath lab en route based on pre-hospital electrocardiogram, having the ER doctor activate the angioplasty team without any colleague consultation, and the arrival of the catheterization lab team within twenty minutes of being paged. The study also recommends having a cardiologist available at all times.

"The more hospitals that sign on to the program and make the commitment to their patients, the more lives we will save," says Zucker. "Working together, we can change the way cardiac arrest patients are treated and ensure they receive rapid care."

A list of hospitals participating in the D2B Alliance will be released at the American College of Cardiology's 2007 National Conference in New Orleans. In order to be acknowledged at the event, hospitals must join the D2B Alliance by March 1, 2007.

Hospitals interested in participating in the program will receive a tool kit and implementation manual, which includes how to assemble a team to put the new procedures into practice. More information is available by calling [phone], ext. 5453 or visiting www.d2balliance.org.

About New Jersey Chapter of American College of Cardiology

An educational society, with over 1,200 members, the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Cardiology works to help people in New Jersey and the surrounding areas gain information about cardiovascular care and how to access the most current treatments through high quality specialists and medical centers. Eligibility for ACC membership requires physicians to successfully complete three-year cardiology fellowships, pass written examinations in cardiac disease and publish cardiac research in peer reviewed cardiology journals.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Dr. Mark J. Zucker and other NJ-ACC members are available to comment on all current issues related to prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. To arrange an interview, please contact Michael Cherenson, The Cherenson Group, 973-992-7800 ext. 104.