• South African Heart Association
• South African Society of Cardiovascular Intervention (SASCI)

SA Heart® aims to promote and develop the life sciences pertaining to the cardiovascular system in health and disease in South Africa, while promoting good fellowship among those involved in the treatment of patients with cardiovascular disease or with research interests involving the cardiovascular system.

International guidelines emphasize early appropriate treatment for ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) where “Time is Muscle”. In alignment with the Stent for Life initiative, of which South Africa is now an affiliated country, the SA Heart Association (SAHA) and the South African Society of Cardiovascular Intervention (SASCI) seek to improve the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients in South Africa, saving lives, and more importantly, ensuring a better outcome for all STEMI cases and less of a cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden to society as a whole.

With the guidance of SSL Europe, SSL South Africa proposes to improve the management of STEMI cases in accordance with the defined objectives and through the implementing of action plans.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to SSL Europe and The European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions for their support and guidance. Contributions and support from other SSL countries and from our industry partners and friends are gracefully acknowledged.

PO Box 3213
Matieland
7602, South Africa
Tel: +27 21-889 6129
www.saheart.org

• Recruitment of cardiologists in regions across South-Africa
• to organise education meetings for HCP on the management of STEMI, ACS and other chest pain syndromes across all provinces;
• to drive the educational project, to develop regional networks and solutions; and
• to contribute towards registries for measurement and monitoring of the impact of education initiatives and other strategic interventions.

Collaboration with countries with similar needs to learn from them and share our experiences with them.
Establishment of a network amongst STEMI care providers (public and private), central and local government, medical insurance companies and private sector funders;
Deployment of central and regional public awareness programs and establishment of institutional / other patient education strategies with the aid of other existing organisations (Heart and Stroke Foundation).

• Establish a representative steering committee – preferably at national level – with Government support;
• Set up task groups for each objective and define action plans with key account holders and quality indicators;
• Education workshops to be presented in all provinces;
• Improve partnerships with other bodies that educate at-risk patients / run campaigns;
• Source information on STEMI prevalence and patient outcome in all regions;
• Map facilities’ capabilities to diagnose and treat STEMI (Clinics / Hospitals, HCW, etc) and identify needs in remote areas;
• ‘Delays in early reperfusion for STEMI project to be operationalized in at least one region per province;
• Evaluate software solutions for data collection and IT supported patient management;
• Revise STEMI workbook and distributed nationally;
• Develop SA SSL webpage and regularly update SA Heart STEMI webpage; and
• Invite industry partners and medical funders to contribute to planning and development.

SASCI is a non-profit registered section 21 company which was formed in 2003 with 109 Full Members and 71 Associate members. The society principle objective is to further CPD accredited education in interventional cardiology.

Physical address:
113 Herbert Baker Street, Groenkloof, Pretoria – South Africa
Postal address:
PO Box 26716, Monument Park 0151 – South Africa
Tel: +2783 458 5954
sasci@sasci.co.za

• Russian Scientific Society of Endovascular Therapies
• Russian Society of Cardiology
• Sib?rian Asso?iation of Int?rv?ntional C?rdiologists

The Siberian Association of Interventional Cardiologists has joined the Stent Save a Life Initiative in September, 2012.

In 2013, another Russian region, the region of Samara, with the population of more than 3 mln. people, joined the SSL project and, in early 2015, SSL in Russia already included 5 regions, totaling up to 11 mln. people.

The goal of the SSL Siberia is to implement primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) program to treat patients with acute coronary syndrome, in particular ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in order to lower the mortality of the Russian population. Consequently, one of the most important objectives is to increase awareness and change the perception of the population, regional and national governments and medical professionals about the role of primary PCI in the treatment of STEMI.

• GACI (groupe athrérome et cardiologie interventionnelle)
• SFC (french society of cardiology)
• SAMU
• SFMU (Société Française de Médecine d’Urgence)

No accurate estimates of heart attacks are available in India, however it is possible that upwards of 3 million heart attacks could occur in India every year. Significant myocardial salvage can occur if reperfusion can occur within 2 hours of onset of symptoms. Data from India suggests that arrival to a hospital is delayed with a median time of arrival of above 300 minutes. Reduction of this delay requires public education on the early signs of myocardial infarction, which is a substantial challenge given India’s low rates of literacy and diverse society. Apart from this, STEMI management protocols and specific training to paramedics, nurses and doctors is not done in any systematic way in India. There is also an acute need for development of a STEMI system of care.

It is to address these challenges that Dr. Thomas Alexander and Dr. Ajit.S.Mullasari took the initiative and STEMI INDIA was set up as a ‘not for profit’ organisation. It is run by a nine member national board of Directors. The important goals of which are

1. To impart and disseminate the latest information from across the world on STEMI management to all those involved in STEMI care in India
2. To help organise and train STEMI teams in hospitals that treat STEMI.
3. Develop systems of care appropriate to STEMI care in India
4. Facilitate & contribute to developing a national STEMI guideline & work towards developing a national STEMI program
5. Public education – To reduce delays in accessing appropriate care
6. Help organisations and individuals doing research or projects in STEMI with expertise and, where feasible, funding.

STEMI INDIA recently organised an International STEMI meeting at Chennai from the 6th to the 8th of July. The meeting brought together top experts from across the word to train doctors, nurses and paramedics on the latest in heart attack management. The aim was to develop a ‘STEMI team’ at each hospital that treats heart attack patients so that they develop the capability of quickly and efficiently treating heart attack patients. This year’s meeting was graced by 113 Faculty and 560 delegates. The next conjoint meeting of ACT 2013 and STEMI INDIA will be held from 12th to 14th of July 2013 at Chennai.

To assess the feasibility of developing a model for STEMI systems of care in India, the Kovai Erode Pilot STEMI initiative was launched within a large rural district of Tamilnadu. This quality improvement programme utilised both fibrinolytic therapy and PCI as acute reperfusion therapy, involved numerous providers and hospitals, and focused on a population level approach, rather than care delivered at a single hospital.

During approximately the first 6 months, 84 patients received care within this quality improvement programme. A total of 45 (54%) patients travelled from the outer grid hospitals. The mean time of arrival from symptom onset was 170 min, with 77% of patients arriving by ambulance with a mean transport time of 44 min (5 – 99 min). The mean time from hospital arrival to PCI was 69 min for patients undergoing primary PCI while the mean time to PCI after fibrinolytic therapy with the pharmacoinvasive strategy was 480 min.

Based on the Kovai Erode Pilot STEMI initiative, plans are underway for an expanded, STEMI systems of care programme in Tamilnadu. Key partners will be the government insurance programme (and its administrative private partners) and the GVK EMRI ambulance system. Technology has been developed by STEMI INDIA using a handheld device. This is a multi-purpose device that is an ECG recording device, vital sign monitor and a data entry and transmission device. The ECG and data entered are transmitted to ‘on call cardiologists’for decision making. This will help overcome some of the infrastructure deficiencies.

The ‘Tamilnadu STEMI Project’ is an ICMR approved and funded project that is developing a pilot project in 4 clusters across Tamilnadu. The 4 hub and spoke centres will have the following hubs

1. Madras Medical College, Chennai
2. MMM Hospital Chennai
3. CMC Hospital, Vellore and
4. Kovai Medical Center and Hospital, Coimbatore

Based on the 9 month experience with these clusters, we plan to extend it across the state and this could be a model for a national STEMI program. The first investigator’s meeting was held during the recent STEMI INDIA meeting at Chennai.

Dr. Thomas Alexander

• Bulgarian Society of Cardiology
• Bulgarian Society of Interventional Cardiology
• Ministry of Health

• Argentine Society of Cardiology

The SAC was founded on the 9th of April 1937. Since it’s inception, abundant scientific works and communications have provided exposure for the Argentine Society of Cardiology across the world. The SAC represent the Argentine cardiology community before international cardiological associations.

The Argentine Federation of Cardiology is a scientific organisation founded in 1965 and constituted by 35 Cardiology Societies of the Argentine Republic.
Throughout its 50 years of existence, it has carried out an intense work in pursuit of the development and promotion of cardiology throughout the country, achieving to improve the scientific cardiology level, evidenced by the organisation of multiple scientific activities as well as the creation of numerous important Cardiological Centres that significantly increased the level of care.

The Argentine College of Interventional Cardioangiologists is a scientific society that brings together all the specialists in Hemodynamics and Interventional Cardiology of the Argentine Republic. It was created in 1985 and is endorsed by the Ministry of Health to certify the specialty of Hemodynamics and General Angiology. It is a medical society with a very active role, which aims at providing comprehensive coverage from the scientific and assistance point of view with interference throughout the national territory.