"Angioplasty and clot-busting drugs reopen clogged arteries and restore blood flow to the heart muscle. This kind of treatment, called emergency reperfusion, can save lives and prevent lasting damage to the heart."

"A team of researchers led by cardiologists at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center and the Yale University School of Medicine analyzed national data on more than 238,000 people who had heart attacks between 1994 and 2003. All of the patients had a type of heart attack for which emergency reperfusion is appropriate."

"During that 10-year period, the percentage of eligible patients who did not receive emergency reperfusion declined from more than 20 percent to 10 percent. While that's a major improvement, having 10 percent of eligible patients go untreated is still too high, the study authors said."

"Eligible patients most likely to miss out on emergency reperfusion included:
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