This is the fourth Irish Heart Attack Audit National Report, reporting on data from 1,615 patients with an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who received treatment in one of the 10 primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) centres in Ireland, and on data from their referring hospitals, during 2024. The data provide detailed information about the care received, the processes of care delivered and the outcomes of patients with a STEMI, enabling each participating hospital to benchmark itself against comparable hospitals in Ireland.

This 2024 report shows a 13% increase in STEMI cases since 2017, a figure that slightly outpaces national population growth. The data on smoking and its link to premature heart attacks remain stark. Smokers present with a STEMI an average of 11 years earlier than non-smokers, with this gap widening to 13 years for women, reinforcing the need for continued public health initiatives to reduce smoking.

P.13 Risk factors, smoking and young patients with a STEMI - Risk factor burden remains high among patients with a STEMI, with 90% (n=1460) having at least one cardiovascular risk factor and 37% (n=594) having three or more. Diabetes was present in 27% (n=430) of patients with a STEMI in 2024. Smoking continues to exert a disproportionate burden, particularly in younger patients. Smokers present with a STEMI on average 11 years earlier than never smokers, with an even larger gap among women (13 years). In 2024, 36% of patients with a STEMI were current smokers, double the national average. Although the delivery of smoking cessation advice has improved to 95%, these figures highlight the pressing need for intensified smoking prevention efforts.

P.40 Smoking and age profile of patients with a STEMI - In 2024, 36% (n=584) of patients with a STEMI were current smokers, which was consistent with the 2023 result (35%). The proportion of patients with a STEMI who currently smoke remains substantially higher than the national population average, which was reported to be 17% in 2024 (Department of Health, 2024). The proportion of patients with a STEMI in 2024 who have given up smoking (n=446, 28%) was similar to the national average (30%). Data on the use of nicotine replacement therapy or electronic vaping products are currently not collected as part of the Heartbeat dataset....

• P.40 Figure 4.7 - Smoking profile of patients with a STEMI, by sex and age group (n=1614)
• P.42 Figure 4.8 - Prevalence of risk factors for patients with a STEMI, by sex and age group (N=1615) 
• P.91 Figure 6.7 - Smoking cessation advice provided, by sex and age group (n=584)
• P.99 Figure 7.5 - Key quality indicator 5: percentage of patients with a STEMI who were discharged with an appropriate secondary prevention medication discharge bundle, key quality indicator 6: percentage of patients with a STEMI who actively smoke who were offered smoking cessation advice, and key quality indicator 7: percentage of eligible patients with a STEMI who were referred for cardiac rehabilitation phase 3, by year