Clinical Outcomes

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the commonest causes of death in Malaysia. It can affect patients in the form of heart attacks (also known as 'myocardial infarction') and stable chest pain syndromes (stable angina). While many patients with stable angina can be treated with medicines, heart attack patients need emergency treatment.

KPJ Ipoh offers 24-hour coronary angioplasty, also known as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), to treat patients with heart attacks. In PCI, a special catheter is inserted into the heart (coronary) artery. This allows a very fine wire to be inserted into the artery. A balloon can then be advanced into the artery and across the blockage. The balloon is inflated once the catheter has been placed into the narrowed area of the coronary artery. The inflation of the balloon compresses the fatty tissue in the artery and makes a larger opening inside the artery for improved blood flow. A stent (wire mesh tube) is then placed across the blockage to keep the artery open. PCI can also be used to treat stable angina patients who continue to have symptoms despite medicines.

In KPJ Ipoh, cardiologists performed coronary angioplasty and stenting procedures for 742 patients in 2020, 548 patients in 2021, and 882 patients in 2022. The mean mortality rate for non-emergency PCI at KPJ Ipoh from 2020 to 2022 was 0%.