With all the new updates appearing this time of year, it can be easy to overlook some changes that will affect both the clinical and coding sides of medicine. One such major change is the revamp of the official definition of myocardial infarction, known colloquially as a heart attack. Four of the biggest cardiology organizations on the planet (the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), and the World Heart Federation (WHF) recently reviewed and updated the standards for what defines myocardial infarction, and this change is sure to impact cardio practices far and wide.

Believe it or not, this is the fourth major update to the official myocardial infarction definition since the original version was introduced in 2000. Since then, these same cardiology groups have issued revisions in 2007 and 2012, with 2007 introducing the five-part ranking system as seen below:

• Type 1 – Spontaneous MI due to a primary coronary event such as plaque rupture or erosion
• Type 2 – MI due to either increased oxygen demand or decreased supply
• Type 3 – MI resulting in death before cardiac enzymes can be obtained
• Type 4 – MI associated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or stent thrombosis
• Type 5 – MI associated with CABG procedure

Although this same framework is still in use today, new tests and other clinical advances are constantly changing when and how physicians detect myocardial infarction, leading to this year’s changes.

These are far from the only updates that cardiology practices will see as the year ends, but MMI can help you keep up with the flood of new changes. Our November 13th cardio updates webinar will discuss this new definition and much more, ensuring that you and your coworkers are prepared for all the latest information. Make sure to reserve your spot today!