Ballons4Hearts
Background
Athero sclerosis (hardening) of the arteries is the single greatest cause of death in Norfolk.
When a coronary artery blocks suddenly the heart muscle is starved of vital nutrients especially oxygen. Within a matter of hours irreversible damage occurs. If significant amounts of nutrients are lost, patients will die, or suffer long term debility.
Clot busting drugs are now used to unblock arteries. The NNUH along with the Norfolk Ambulance Service has an enviable record of delivering such treatment.
Unfortunately clot busting drugs have limitations and worldwide there is a growing trend to use angioplasty and stenting promptly to restore the vital blood supply to the threatened heart muscle.
The treatment involves inflating small balloons inside the coronary arteries, hence the name of this appeal fund.
This type of treatment is highly successful and not only saves lives but also restores people to full health more quickly and reduces the risk of long term infirmity.
In order to perform angioplasty and stenting the NNUH needs to equip a dedicated operating theatre to facilitate prompt treatment.
Our existing theatre already undertakes more diagnostic and pacing procedures than any other facility in the UK. We cannot move forward with this desperately needed development without equipment for a second theatre.
Until this service is up and running, patients will still have to be transferred 75 miles by road to Papworth. Some do not survive the transfer and others are forced to wait because Papworth cannot take them, and suffer as a result.
