‘STEMI to ensure no heart patient in UP dies due to lack of treatment'

Time of India

2 days ago

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Lucknow: Heart patients in UP will soon be able to receive timely treatment at their nearest district hospital or community health centre, with the 'System of Treating Elevation Myocardial Infarction' (STEMI) care network.
The initiative aims to provide advanced cardiac care during the critical 'golden hour' following a heart attack, increasing the chances of survival for patients even in remote areas. To support this, a three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop began at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS).
The workshop is focused on training healthcare professionals, including doctors, staff nurses, and paramedics, to implement standardised STEMI protocols in their respective districts.
These protocols are designed to ensure early diagnosis, prompt administration of medication, and timely patient transfer to higher centres when needed.
Inaugurating the workshop, principal secretary of medical health & family welfare and medical education, Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma, emphasised the govt's vision of expanding emergency cardiac services across the state.
He assured that there would be no shortage of Tenecteplase, the clot-dissolving drug used in heart attack cases, and that it would be made available even at the most remote healthcare centres.
"Our goal is to ensure that no patient in Uttar Pradesh loses their life due to the non-availability of timely heart attack treatment," he said.
The STEMI care network is based on a hub-and-spoke model.
RMLIMS, through its cardiology department, will function as the central hub providing specialist oversight, ECG interpretation, and advanced intervention facilities. District hospitals in Ayodhya, Devipatan range, Sultanpur, and other regions will serve as spoke hospitals.
These centres will be responsible for early diagnosis and initiation of treatment under the guidance of the hub.
Dr Bhuwan Tiwari, head of cardiology at RMLIMS, explained the structure of the STEMI CARE protocol during the workshop. He introduced a step-by-step acronym that guides healthcare providers in managing heart attack patients. "The power of this program lies in empowering frontline health workers to act swiftly and correctly," he said.
The acronym STEMI CARE stands for: Symptoms (identify cardiac symptoms), Time (note when symptoms started), ECG (perform and interpret a 12-lead ECG), Medical Management (give aspirin, clopidogrel, and atorvastatin), Initiate Thrombolysis (administer Tenecteplase if needed), Call the Hub (share patient data with the tertiary centre), Ambulance (arrange transfer with oxygen and IV access), Reassess (monitor vitals before transfer), and Ensure Handover (send referral documents with the patient).
Senior cardiologist Dr Rishi Sethi from KGMU spoke about the clinical importance of timely STEMI care'.
Varanasi CMO Dr Sandeep Chaudhary shared practical experiences from the field.