A 24-HOUR hospital service that could save the lives of heart attack patients is beginning in Liverpool.
From this Monday round the clock Primary Angioplasty (PCI) will be available for people suffering heart attacks.
Previously patients would have received clot busting drugs at their local hospital, but extensive clinical evidence has proved PCI is the most effective treatment, provided it is delivered within two hours.
Consultant Cardiologist Dr Ralph Perry is leading the service for Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LHCH) and expects to treat up to 800 more patients.
He said: “The ambulance teams would make the initial diagnosis and take patients directly to LHCH, eventually from the whole of the Cheshire and Mersey Network area.”
Patients will not be able to present themselves directly at LHCH. They should call for help via 999, and a paramedic will then assess them.
