Muhlenberg Ranks in the Top Ten Percent Nationwide for Angioplasty Services

The United States Department of Health & Human Services has named Muhlenberg one of the best hospitals in the country for its ability to get patients life-saving emergency angioplasty quickly – ranking us in the top ten percent nationwide.

Because so many people are often unable to tell when they are having a heart attack, hospitals are under added pressure to improve the time it takes to get patients suffering from a blockage into the catheterization lab for emergency angioplasty. Widely considered one of the most effective treatments for heart attack patients, emergency angioplasty involves inserting and inflating a balloon into the clogged blood vessel to facilitate blood flow.

Studies by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association show a heart attack patient’s survival rate is based largely upon whether they receive emergency angioplasty within 90 minutes of arriving at the hospital. Known as “door-to-balloon time,” the New Jersey guidelines for angioplasty recommend hospitals perform the procedure within at least 120 minutes of the patient’s arrival at the hospital. Last year, Muhlenberg averaged a “door-to-balloon time” of 76 minutes.

“We work so hard to reduce the time because it really does save lives,” said Kathleen Klige, RN, Director of Cardiovascular Services, Solaris Health System. “You have to get the artery open as soon as possible – that’s the most important thing when someone is having a heart attack and it’s always our goal to make that happen as quickly as we can.”

Muhlenberg has been certified to perform emergency angioplasty since 2002 and elective angioplasty since November 2005.

In 2006, Muhlenberg performed 474 diagnostic catheterizations, an additional 126 elective angioplasties and 53 emergency angioplasties.