Potential utility of B-type natriuretic peptides in secondary prevention following percutaneous coronary intervention in remote communities of Western Australia.

Introduction: A third of all acute coronary events that present in the Australian population occur in patients with established coronary heart disease. This study assessed the prognostic value of combined B-type natriuretic peptides (BNP) measurement and quantitative myocardial perfusion scan (MPS) data for cardiac events (CE).

Material And Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved 133 patients from rural Western Australia.

Referral patterns of patients presenting with chest pain at two rural emergency departments in Western Australia.

Introduction: Coronary heart disease is the largest single cause of death in Australia. In Western Australia invasive diagnostics and therapies for acute coronary syndromes are only provided in the metropolitan hospitals of Perth. Patients in rural hospitals who need invasive cardiac care have to be transferred to Perth.