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Heart attack follow-up care in need of improvements

Friday 2nd December 2016
A significant number of patients may be missing out on vital follow-up care after suffering a heart attack, according to a new report. Image: Jovanmandic via iStock
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There is significant disparity in the level of follow-up care that heart attack patients receive in different parts of the UK, according to a new report.

Research presented as part of the National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation at the University of York reveals that while the uptake of rehabilitation following a heart attack is on the up in some parts of the country, as many as 66,000 patients elsewhere are missing out on this potentially life-saving care.

Overall, the number of people accessing cardiac rehabilitation services has increased markedly over the past ten years, reaching 50 per cent of all heart attack patients for the first time in 2015. However, this means that around half of those who have suffered a heart attack are not being helped to recover physically and mentally after the event.

In addition, figures show that approximately half of patients are not able to start rehabilitation until it too late, meaning their health will not be able to recover fully. The recommended period in which rehab is started is within 33 days; any longer, and a person's health may be weakened beyond full repair.

Meanwhile, women were more likely than men to miss out on heart attack aftercare with over 20,000 not receiving this care last year. In comparison, 52 per cent of men who had experienced a heart attack underwent extensive rehabilitation with help from cardiologists and physiotherapists.

Dr Mike Knapton, associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation, commented: "It is hugely encouraging that more patients are accessing rehabilitation services, but there is still much more to be done.

"There is variation between services which needs to be ironed out to ensure that every patient has access to cardiac rehabilitation which can reduce their risk of suffering another heart attack."

Experts are calling on hospitals that offer cardiac rehabilitation services to do more to encourage female participation, alongside taking action to reduce waiting time targets to enable more patients to be able to access this vital care.

Written by Mathew Horton

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