The American Heart Association has certified the first Comprehensive Chest Pain Centers in India and Mexico, marking a significant advancement in global efforts to combat cardiovascular diseases. This initiative addresses the critical need for improved emergency cardiac care in regions where cardiovascular diseases represent the leading cause of mortality, accounting for 32% of all deaths worldwide according to the American Heart Association's global mission data.
In India, where cardiovascular diseases cause approximately 36% of deaths among people aged 30 to 69, three hospitals have received this highest-level certification: Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences Ltd (Aster MIMS) in Calicut, Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad, and MGM Medical College Hospital in Navi Mumbai. Similarly, in Mexico, where nearly a quarter of all deaths result from cardiovascular diseases, the Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad Hospital de Cardiología Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI in Mexico City has become the country's first certified Comprehensive Chest Pain Center.
The Comprehensive Chest Pain Center Certification represents the American Heart Association's most rigorous standard, acknowledging facilities that meet or exceed quality care measures for treating severe heart attacks, including ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). These certified centers are equipped to perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a critical procedure for clearing heart blockages, within timeframes recommended by the latest chest pain guidelines available through the American Heart Association's certification programs at https://www.heart.org/en/professional/quality-improvement.
Dr. DP Suresh, incoming volunteer co-chair of the American Heart Association's International Committee, emphasized that these certifications create regional systems of care designed to save lives by reducing treatment delays for chest pain and heart attacks. The certification process requires hospitals to demonstrate their capability to quickly and effectively diagnose and treat chest pain while adhering to rigorous criteria established by the American Heart Association's quality improvement initiatives detailed at https://www.heart.org/en/professional/quality-improvement/chest-pain-center-certification.
Beyond improving treatment accuracy and effectiveness, this certification program aims to educate the public about recognizing early heart attack symptoms, thereby reducing the time to receive life-saving treatment. The American Heart Association's initiative represents a critical advancement in global efforts to reduce cardiac deaths and enhance acute healthcare services in communities worldwide, particularly in regions with high cardiovascular disease burdens where access to specialized cardiac care has historically been limited.
