Heart attack hospital deaths 'have nearly halved in a decade'

Hospitals in England have seen the annual number of emergency admissions for heart attacks among patients aged 35 to 74 drop by more than a quarter in a decade and the death rate nearly halve. Emergency admissions fell from 42,400 in 2000/01 to 30,600 in 2009/10, NHS Information Centre figures show. During the same period the death rate for within 30 days of an emergency admission for heart attack almost halved; dropping from one in 11 to one in 20. However, the death rate for stroke patients did not reduce as dramatically over the same period, falling from one in four to one in five. Meanwhile the number of emergency admissions only dropped by four per cent from 67,00 admissions in 2000/01 to 64,300 admissions in 2009/10. Today’s report reveals mortality information on key conditions and procedures, to help the NHS monitor potential avoidable deaths following hospital treatment. Figures have been standardised to consider factors including the age of the population over time; but not factors like socio-economic status or NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: 'The majority of admissions to hospital for people suffering a heart attack or stroke are emergency cases. 'This report focuses on such admissions; providing the NHS and the public with a vital 10 year snapshot of the number of patients treated by our hospitals for such serious conditions and whether they survive or not.' Health Minister Simon Burns said: 'These improvements reflect the dedication of NHS staff working to improve services and support their patients. Treatment for heart attack, stroke and falls and fractures are improving all the time, but we know further progress can still be made. 'Patients should be getting the right care first time and that is why we are developing strategies to tackle cardio-vascular disease and stroke, have recently re-launched the successful 'Act F.A.S.T.' stroke campaign and are continuing to drive improvements in reducing hip fracture deaths thanks to financial incentives for Trusts.. 'By publishing more information than ever before, we are giving the NHS the tools it needs to drive up quality and improve patient care.'