Published on April 13, 2004 at 10:58 AM
Heart attack patients are being discharged from hospital care faster than ever, and a new study indicates patients do not experie any adverse affects from such quick release.
In 1986, the average stay for heart attack patients was approximately 12 days, by 1999 that number significantly dropped to about half, to 5-6 days. Compare that to an average stay of 6 weeks in the 1950's for heart attack patients and you can see the advancement of medicine over the past 50 years has been staggering.
More than 4500 discharged heart attack patients in Massachusetts were monitored between 1986 and 1999 to produce the findings.
The study was performed at University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester.