New Measures Improve Heart Care

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"This is the largest regional STEMI [ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction] reperfusion system in the U.S.," Granger said. "All of the key times were significantly improved. It shows that application of reperfusion on a large scale is possible and should be a high national priority."

Disappointingly, a third study being presented at the meeting found that teaching self-management skills to heart failure patients brought no additional benefit over enhanced patient education.

However, study co-author Dr. James E. Calvin, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said that "in the patients with the poorest functional capacity [who received both training in self-management skills and education], you can see that there's a significant risk reduction for... death and heart failure hospitalization. Treatment may work in patients who need it."

More information

Visit the American Heart Association for more on high blood pressure.