OPPOSITION politicians say claims heart attack patients in Scotland are being denied the latest life-saving treatments in a bid to save money are another example of the postcode lottery for health care.
Labour said changes to the system were urgently needed, while the Liberal Democrats said it was vital that all patients have access to the "best and most appropriate treatment".
The Conservatives said the current set-up was "not good enough".
The statements follow a claim by leading cardiologist Professor Keith Oldroyd that Scotland is lagging behind the rest of the UK and Europe when it comes to introducing new drugs and techniques.
He said cardiologists have been waiting 18 months to start using a new drug called ticagrelor, which has been shown to increase the survival chances of heart-attack victims – and the main reason was "cost containment".
NHS Lothian is said to be making the drug available to thousands of patients, while NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has agreed its use in a small number of exceptional cases.
Jackie Baillie MSP, Scottish Labour health spokeswoman, said: "As the cost pressures mount on the NHS, this is yet another example of a postcode lottery of care. The NHS can't go on like this."
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Jackson Carlaw added: "The care of heart attack patients is well behind that of the rest of the UK and Europe. This isn't good enough, and the new health secretary should make getting to grips with this an absolute priority."
The Scottish LibDems also said healthcare must be universal if it is to be seen as fair.
Party health spokeswoman, Alison McInnes MSP, said: "The Government must make it clear to all partners that receiving the best possible health care cannot depend on where you live."
A Scottish Government spokesman added: "We are not aware of any systematic evidence to suggest Scottish patients are being disadvantaged in terms of access to devices of proven effectiveness."
Andy Carver, prevention and care adviser at BHF Scotland, said: "Organisations must ensure there are no undue delays in their decision-making processes, and health boards need to act promptly to implement their guidance on the care heart patients should get."
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