President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sanctioned this Wednesday a law that establishes protocols for cardiovascular emergency care in the Unified Health System (SUS). The measure provides for the administration of thrombolytic medications at Emergency Care Units (UPAs), according to safety and efficacy criteria that will still be defined by the government.
Thrombolytics are medications used to dissolve clots that interrupt blood circulation. In certain cases of heart attack, the administration of these medications can restore blood flow and reduce damage to the heart. Speed in care is considered decisive in this type of emergency, as delays in starting treatment increase the risk of sequelae and death.
The change will allow treatment to begin at the UPA, without the patient necessarily having to wait for transfer to a hospital with specialized infrastructure. This seeks to reduce the time between diagnosis and the start of thrombolytic therapy, especially in regions where access to specialized hospitals is more limited.
The measure may have impact mainly outside major urban centers, where the distance to hospitals with complete cardiac care facilities is usually greater. The expectation is that expanding access to treatment at UPAs will help reduce complications and mortality from cardiovascular emergencies in areas farther from major centers.
