Heart Attack

Heart attack, also known as acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A heart attack occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery. Often, this blockage leads to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat or rhythm) that cause a severe decrease in the pumping function of the heart and may bring about sudden death. If the blockage is not treated within a few hours, the affected heart muscle will die and be replaced by scar tissue. (Source: NHLBI, 2003)
 

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), also known as angioplasty. Angioplasty (AN-jee-oh-plas-tee) is a medical procedure used to restore blood flow through a narrowed or blocked artery in the heart. In angioplasty, a thin tube with a balloon or other device on the end is first threaded through a blood vessel in the arm or groin (upper thigh) up to the site of a narrowing or blockage in a coronary artery. Once in place, the balloon is then inflated to push the plaque outward against the wall of the artery, widening the artery and restoring the flow of blood through it. Sometimes a device called a stent is placed in the artery to keep the artery propped open after the procedure. (Source: NHLBI, 2006)
 

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), also known as bypass surgery. In this procedure arteries or veins from other areas in your body are used to bypass your narrowed coronary arteries. Bypass surgery can improve blood flow to your heart, relieve chest pain, and possibly prevent a heart attack. (Source: NHLBI, 2006)
 

Pneumonia, also called community acquired pneumonia (CAP)

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs caused by an infection. Many different organisms can cause it, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Pneumonia can range from mild to severe, even fatal. The severity depends on the type of organism causing pneumonia, as well as your age and underlying health. (Source: NIH, 2005)
 

Deliveries/newborn care

Care received by mothers and newborns during and after delivery.
 

Overall Performance

A summary rating that combines a hospital’s Quality Performance Group rating with its Efficiency Performance Group rating. In this reporting round, Leapfrog recognizes those hospitals that were top performers in both quality and efficiency and therefore met the criteria for Performance Group 1 for Overall Performance for a clinical area. All other participating hospitals were not top performers in both quality and efficiency and thus did not meet the criteria for Performance Group 1 for Overall Performance.