‘It Got Right to the Spot’ The Patient Experience of Primary Angioplasty: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Primary angioplasty is becoming an established treatment for myocardial infarction. Yet we have a limited understanding of patients' attitudes toward this treatment and their experiences of receiving it in practice. Aims: Exploration of patients' experiences and perceptions of primary angioplasty as treatment for their heart attack. Methods: Qualitative study of a purposive sample of patients admitted to a tertiary cardiology unit in east London, UK. Participants were interviewed either in their own homes or in hospital. Recruitment continued until no new substantial themes emerged. Eleven men and four women aged 35 to 74 years who had sustained a myocardial infarction were interviewed 13 to 90 days after primary angioplasty. We used the framework method of analysis to identify and explore emerging themes. Results: Informants were expecting open-heart surgery as treatment for their heart attack. They were impressed by the service they actually received. They were generally not engaged in decisions about their treatment in the acute setting and this passivity sometimes persisted after discharge. Expectations of follow up in primary care were not often met. Conclusions: Patients are satisfied with the primary angioplasty as treatment for acute myocardial infarction but have poor understanding of the management of this condition.