About 20,000 heart attacks occur annually in Greece, prompting new proposals aimed at improving timely and comprehensive treatment for cardiovascular patients, particularly in remote and island regions, the Hellenic Society of Cardiology said.
Presenting the plan, society president professor Konstantinos Toutouzas highlighted disparities in access to emergency care.
“If someone walking in Athens suffers a heart attack, they will be immediately transferred to a hospital with a catheterization lab. If it happens on Crete, they will be quickly transported. But if it happens on Folegandros, what will happen?” he asked.
The society proposes wider use of thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction patients in areas lacking immediate access to specialized cardiac units.
According to the proposal submitted to the health minister, patients diagnosed with ST-elevation myocardial infarction should be transferred to a hospital with a catheterization lab if transport can occur within 120 minutes.
If delays exceed that window, thrombolytic therapy should be administered, followed by transfer within 24 hours for angiography and possible angioplasty.
The plan also calls for telemedicine support linking remote doctors to reference hospitals, along with training for general practitioners and internists in thrombolysis and reperfusion strategies.
Cardiovascular diseases account for roughly 1.7 million deaths annually in the European Union, with up to 70% considered preventable.
In Greece, they cost an estimated €4.3 billion each year.
The society further recommends establishing cardiac rehabilitation centers, noting that such programs improve survival, physical capacity and quality of life.
Despite international guidelines, referrals to rehabilitation in Greece remain nearly nonexistent.
At least 500 to 800 patients annually would initially require rehabilitation services to support recovery and reintegration, Toutouzas said.