Chest pain is the leading reason for hospital evaluation for suspected myocardial infarction, yet 80-90% of patients do not have one. Identifying low-risk patients who can safely avoid hospital admission may improve efficiency, reduce pressure on emergency services, and lower healthcare costs.
In the randomized ARTICA trial, an ambulance-based triage strategy using the HEART score questionnaire and point-of-care troponin testing to identify low-risk patients with suspected NSTEMI. Patients could safely remain at home, reducing healthcare costs by €611 per patient at 30 days and €717 at 12 months without affecting clinical outcomes or quality of life.
In patients with confirmed non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), further research is needed to determine the optimal timing of antiplatelet therapy. Coronary angiography (CAG) was typically performed within three days, both in PCI and non-PCI hospitals. In addition, early CAG in resuscitated NSTEMI patients did not reduce healthcare costs compared with a delayed strategy.
About the PhD candidate
Cyril Camaro (1978) earned his medical degree from Radboud University Nijmegen in 2002. After completing his cardiology training in 2011, he became medical coordinator of the newly established Cardiac Emergency Department (EHH). He completed his fellowship in interventional cardiology in 2014 and has been working as an interventional cardiologist at Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen.