Cath Lab Digest

People plan their finances with the aid of a financial planner so that their future is secure. This entails savings, bank balance, retirement, insurance, estate planning, and living will. However, not much planning is done regarding life-altering situations such as myocardial infarction or stroke. Both of these conditions result in high rates of morbidity and mortality. One important step is to address risk factor reduction such as control of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes should focus on exercise, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, and meditation to reduce stress. Such ideal steps are easier to preach than to follow regularly. Despite all efforts, cardiovascular events such as MI or stroke can ensue.

We have to plan for such events in the present era of different clinical outcomes across the hospitals in our country. In case of MI, the best place may be where hospitals that have door-to-balloon times of less than 90 minutes in 90% of the cases. In the case of stroke, the ideal place is where thrombolytics or intracranial interventions are performed in a timely fashion in 90% of the cases as needed. Another important factor may be the outcomes of ICU and whether there is a good rehabilitation facility. In terms of all the above aspects, even physicians are probably not as well prepared as they should be in terms of where we choose to live, work, and retire.