David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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387. To ask the Minister for Health the clinical pathway for persons in the south-east with cardiac complications up to and including PPCI treatment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31108/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) are myocardial infarction (heart attack) and unstable angina. Heart attacks may be ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or Non ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). In general, hospitals will carry out a number of investigations and procedures to determine if there is a confirmed ACS and the extent of the ACS, and to treat the symptoms and/or the syndrome/disease. STEMI diagnosis can also be done pre-hospital via a 12 lead ECG machine with ECGs transmitted to a hospital for interpretation and/or via interpretation by trained paramedics.

The main investigation is the electrocardiogram (ECG). ECGs are particularly useful in determining those patients with ST segment elevation that will benefit from early reperfusion either by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) or by the administering of thrombolysis. PPCI is recognised internationally as the preferred treatment of STEMI in terms of morbidity and mortality outcomes. Where PPCI cannot be delivered within an acceptable timeframe, thrombolysis is recommended with early transfer to a PPCI centre for angiography.