Optimizing primary PCI beyond "door to intervention time"--are we there yet?

Aim: To assess the effects of shortened door-to-intervention (DTI) time on appropriate clinical decisions regarding the four most critical and costly decisions during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI): cath-lab activation (CLA), use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI), use of PCI, and deployment of drug-eluting stent (DES).

Background: STEMI PCI patients are frequently subject to decision making based on abbreviated medical encounter and limited medical information.

Methods: Clinical data were prospectively collected in a STEMI registry over 19 months.

Right coronary artery anatomical variants: where and how?

Background: Ectopic origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) occurs in approximately 1.0% of studied populations. We investigated the prevalence and location of ectopic RCAs among patients undergoing coronary angiography (CA) and assessed its effects on resource utilization.

Length of hospital stay after percutaneous coronary interventions.

Introduction And Aim: Post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) length of hospital stay (LOHS) is one of the key modifiers of hospital cost and quality assessment. Commencing 2000, the cardiovascular services at our institution engaged in a continuous quality improvement program to reduce post-PCI LOHS.

Methods: All PCI patients were screened for potential early discharge.