The use of coronary stents in heart procedures has increased
significantly in two years, according to a new report jointly
released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
and the National Heart Foundation of Australia.
Coronary Angioplasty in Australia 1998 shows that
stents-metal mesh tubes used to keep the arteries open-were
inserted in 87% of angioplasty patients in 1998. This was a marked
increase in the use of stents since 1996, when 54% of angioplasty
patients received stents.
Co-author of the report, Joanne Davies, said there were an
estimated 18,094 coronary angioplasty procedures in Australia in
1998-a 14% increase over the previous year. Coronary angioplasty is
a technique used to restore adequate blood flow to blocked coronary
arteries.
'Angioplasty is three times as common in men as it is in women,
and most patients are between 60 and 80 years old,' Ms Davies
said.
There were 17,873 hospitalisations involving angioplasty
procedures, with an average length of stay of 3.7 days. Angina
remains the main reason for doing coronary angioplasty. However, it
is also being increasingly used in the early treatment of heart
attacks.
The treatment is generally successful, with over 96% of patients
treated in 1998 being discharged from hospital with an adequate
opening of the affected arteries and no angina or other
complications.
Cardiac Surgery in Australia 1998, also released today,
shows that the number of cardiac surgery operations performed in
Australia was 22,253, which is 445 operations on average for each
cardiac surgery unit. The national surgery rate was 1,188 per
million population, with a 2.6% death rate.
Other findings in the reports include:
- By far the most common heart operation was coronary artery
bypass grafting-accounting for almost 17,500 operations in 1998 or
about 48 operations per day.
- More than 1,500 operations were for congenital heart
defects.
- Seventy-two heart transplants were performed in Australia in
1998, and 4 combined heart-lung transplants.
Coronary Angioplasty in Australia 1998 and Cardiac
Surgery in Australia 1998 are the latest in a series of
reports tracking cardiac procedures in Australia to keep up with
important developments that introduce significant changes in
practice. The reports have been jointly produced by the AIHW and
the National Heart Foundation of Australia.
12 July 2001
Further information: Ms Joanne Davies, AIHW,
tel. 02 6244 1067
Dr Paul Magnus, AIHW, tel. 02 6244 1149
Professor Andrew Tonkin, NHF, tel. 02 9219
2444
Media copies of the report: Publications Officer, tel. 02
6244 1032
Availability: Check the AIHW
Publications Catalogue for availability, (cardiac surgery and
coronary
angioplasty)