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ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (st-segment + elevation_myocardial_infarction)
Kinds of ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Selected AbstractsGender Differences in the Treatment of Non,ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial InfarctionCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 6 2010Valeria Rac MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] Adjunctive Low Molecular Weight Heparin During Fibrinolytic Therapy in Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Control TrialsCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 7 2009Sarabjeet Singh MD Background Recent data suggests that low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) may be superior to unfractionated heparin (UFH) as an adjunct to fibrinolytic therapy in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Hypothesis We evaluated cardiac outcomes and the risk of major bleeding with LMWHs vs UFH in the management of STEMI. Methods Seven randomized trials of patients with acute STEMI treated with fibrinolytic therapy and adjunctive LMWHs through the index hospitalization or weight-based UFH for at least 48 hours were identified. We analyzed both primary endpoints (death and nonfatal recurrent myocardial infarction through 30 days), and secondary endpoints (death, recurrent myocardial infarction, and major bleeding during index hospitalization at 7 days). Outcomes were computed using the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effect model. A 2-sided alpha error of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results Compared to UFH, LMWH significantly reduced reinfarction (p < 0.001) during hospitalization at 7 days and the effect remained consistent at 30 d (p < 0.001). When analyzed for mortality at 7 days and 30 days follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences observed between the 2 groups. Additionally the LMWH group had higher risk of major bleeding (p < 0.001). Conclusions The present meta-analysis suggests in patients receiving fibrinolytic therapy for STEMI, LMWHs as an adjunctive therapy is superior to UFH in reducing reinfarction during hospitalization at 7 days and at 30 days. The mortality was not significant between the 2 groups during hospitalization at 7 days and at 30 days. However, UFH is superior to LMWHs in the reduction of major bleeding at 7 days index hospitalization. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Essential Thrombocythemia: A Case of Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in a Young FemaleCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Ulas Bildirici MD Abstract Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a clonal disorder of the myeloid stem cell that causes abnormal proliferation of the megakaryocytes. The main feature of the disease is arterial and venous thrombosis caused by platelet dysfunction. Coronary artery involvement leading to acute coronary syndromes is a rare complication of the ET. We report a coronary angioplasty and stenting in a 30-year-old female patient with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) as the first clinical sign of essential thrombocythemia. Facilitated percutaneous coronary intervention with GPIIb/IIIa and/or thrombolytic therapy may be considered as the first treatment modality for this patient group. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] A Method for Improving Arrival-to-electrocardiogram Time in Emergency Department Chest Pain Patients and the Effect on Door-to-balloon Time for ST-segment Elevation Myocardial InfarctionACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 10 2009Kevin M. Takakuwa MD Abstract Objectives:, The objectives were to determine if an emergency department (ED) could improve the adherence to a door-to-electrocardiogram (ECG) time goal of 10 minutes or less for patients who presented to an ED with chest pain and the effect of this adherence on door-to-balloon (DTB) time for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) cardiac catheterization (cath) alert patients. Methods:, This was a planned 1-month before-and-after interventional study design for implementing a new process for obtaining ECGs in patients presenting to the study ED with chest pain. Prior to the change, patients were registered and triaged before an ECG was obtained. The new procedure required registration clerks to identify those with chest pain and directly overhead page or call a designated ECG technician. This technician had other ED duties, but prioritized performing ECGs and delivering them to attending physicians. A full registration process occurred after the clinical staff performed their initial assessment. The primary outcome was the total percentage of patients with chest pain who received an ECG within 10 minutes of ED arrival. The secondary outcome was DTB time for patients with STEMI who were emergently cath alerted. Data were analyzed using mean differences, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and relative risk (RR) regression to adjust for possible confounders. Results:, A total of 719 patients were studied: 313 before and 405 after the intervention. The mean (±standard deviation [SD]) age was 50 (±16) years, 54% were women, 57% were African American, and 36% were white. Patients walked in 89% of the time; 11% arrived by ambulance. Thirty-nine percent were triaged as emergent and 61% as nonemergent. Patients presented during daytime 68% of the time, and 32% presented during the night. Before the intervention, 16% received an ECG at 10 minutes or less. After the intervention, 64% met the time requirement, for a mean difference of 47.3% (95% CI = 40.8% to 53.3%, p < 0.0001). Results were not affected by age, sex, race, mode of arrival, triage classification, or time of arrival. For patients with STEMI cath alerts, four were seen before and seven after the intervention. No patients before the intervention had ECG time within 10 minutes, and one of four had DTB time of <90 minutes. After the intervention, all seven patients had ECG time within 10 minutes; the three arriving during weekday hours when the cath team was on site had DTB times of <90 minutes, but the four arriving at night and on weekends when the cath team was off site had DTB times of >90 minutes. Conclusions:, The overall percentage of patients with a door-to-ECG time within 10 minutes improved without increasing staffing. An ECG was performed within 10 minutes of arrival for all patients who were STEMI cath alerted, but DTB time under 90 minutes was achieved only when the cath team was on site. [source] The Need for Uniform Definitions in the Regionalized Care of ST-segment Elevation Myocardial InfarctionACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2008Amy H. Kaji MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] Clinical Implications of Elevated Serum Interleukin-6, Soluble CD40 Ligand, Metalloproteinase-9, and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 in Patients with Acute ST-segment Elevation Myocardial InfarctionCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 5 2009Alberto Dominguez-Rodriguez MD, FESC No abstract is available for this article. [source] The challenge of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 12 2007M. Cohen Summary Background/introduction:, Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) represent a spectrum of ischaemic myocardial events that share a similar pathophysiology. ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most severe form of ACS short of sudden cardiac death, is a significant public health problem with an estimated 500,000 STEMI events every year in the United States. Treatment/therapy:, The mortality and morbidity associated with STEMI is significant. Early reperfusion therapy is the most important aspect of the treatment of STEMI. There are two main methods of reperfusion therapy: percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and fibrinolytic therapy, with PCI being the preferred method. In addition to standard reperfusion therapy, antithrombotics (unfractionated heparin and low molecular weight heparins) and antiplatelet agents (aspirin, clopidogrel and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors) are critical adjuncts, effective in the treatment of acute STEMI. Conclusions:, The survival of patients with STEMI depends on rapid diagnosis and optimal early treatment. Guidelines for the management of patients with STEMI recommend PCI within 90 min of presentation and that fibrinolytics are administered within 30 min. However, only a fraction of patients undergo reperfusion within the recommended time. Improvements in protocols for identifying STEMI cases are therefore required to allow reperfusion therapy to be initiated sooner. Secondary prevention is another important aspect of STEMI management, and patients should be encouraged to adopt strategies that reduce the risk of subsequent ischaemic events. [source] Selection of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors for upstream use in patients with diabetes experiencing unstable angina or non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 6 2004What have we learned in the last 10 years? Summary Coronary disease accounts for the majority of deaths among patients with diabetes and the thrombotic milieu accelerated by diabetes results in unstable angina (UA), non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or death. Upstream use of a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GP IIb/IIIa) inhibitor with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as part of an early invasive approach is preferred. However substantial numbers of patients present to rural or non-teaching hospitals without immediate access to a catheterization laboratory. Enhanced GP IIb/IIIa receptor mobilization, TXA2 production and platelet activation together present an extensive thrombotic challenge that may not be overcome with current doses of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors when used without PCI. Heterogeneity of platelet aggregometric analysis may have identified GP IIb/IIIa doses used in clinical trials that may not fully overcome the thrombotic challenge in patients with diabetes. GUSTO-IV ACS failed to demonstrate a difference in mortality when used without PCI. The PURSUIT trial provided evidence that eptifibatide decreases death or non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) in the main group and in the diabetic subgroup. Reductions in this primary endpoint were driven by the reduction in non-fatal MI. The PRISM and PRISM-PLUS trials demonstrated a reduction in death, MI or refractory ischaemia at 48 h or 7 days in the main cohort but not specifically in patients with diabetes. Data supporting use of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors are inconsistent, raising the question of whether these agents should be used at all without PCI. Variability in experimental methodology of platelet aggregometry and selection of anticoagulant used during dose finding studies may have generated doses that are insufficient to overcome the thrombotic burden. A new marker of active inflammation, sCD40L is found to be upregulated at subtherapeutic doses of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors, suggesting that rebound inflammatory processes may partially account for absence of clear evidence of benefit with some GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors in patients with diabetes experiencing UA/NSTEMI. [source] Shortening of Median Door-to-Balloon Time in Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Singapore by Simple and Inexpensive Operational Measures: Clinical Practice Improvement ProgramJOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008CHI-HANG LEE M.B.B.S., F.A.C.C. Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is the standard reperfusion strategy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in our center. We aimed to shorten the median door-to-balloon time from over 100 minutes to 90 minutes or less. Methods: We have been using three strategies since March 2007 to shorten the door-to-balloon time: (1) the intervention team is now activated by emergency department physicians (where previously it had been activated by coronary care unit); (2) all members of the intervention team have converted from using pagers to using cell phones; and (3) as soon as the intervention team is activated, patients are transferred immediately to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (where previously they had waited in the emergency department for the intervention team to arrive). An in-house physician and a nurse would stay with the patients before arrival of the intervention team. Results: During 12 months, 285 nontransfer patients (analyzed, n = 270) underwent primary PCI. The shortest monthly median door-to-balloon time was 59 minutes; the longest monthly median door-to-balloon time was 111 minutes. The overall median door-to-balloon time for the entire 12 months was 72 minutes. On a per-month basis, the median door-to-balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 10 of 12 months. On a per-patient basis, the median door-to-balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 182 patients (67.4%). There was 1 case (0.4%) of inappropriate activation by the emergency department. While waiting for the intervention team to convene, 1 patient (0.4%) deteriorated and had to be resuscitated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Conclusions: Improved health care delivery can be achieved by changing simple and inexpensive operational processes. [source] A Method for Improving Arrival-to-electrocardiogram Time in Emergency Department Chest Pain Patients and the Effect on Door-to-balloon Time for ST-segment Elevation Myocardial InfarctionACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 10 2009Kevin M. Takakuwa MD Abstract Objectives:, The objectives were to determine if an emergency department (ED) could improve the adherence to a door-to-electrocardiogram (ECG) time goal of 10 minutes or less for patients who presented to an ED with chest pain and the effect of this adherence on door-to-balloon (DTB) time for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) cardiac catheterization (cath) alert patients. Methods:, This was a planned 1-month before-and-after interventional study design for implementing a new process for obtaining ECGs in patients presenting to the study ED with chest pain. Prior to the change, patients were registered and triaged before an ECG was obtained. The new procedure required registration clerks to identify those with chest pain and directly overhead page or call a designated ECG technician. This technician had other ED duties, but prioritized performing ECGs and delivering them to attending physicians. A full registration process occurred after the clinical staff performed their initial assessment. The primary outcome was the total percentage of patients with chest pain who received an ECG within 10 minutes of ED arrival. The secondary outcome was DTB time for patients with STEMI who were emergently cath alerted. Data were analyzed using mean differences, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and relative risk (RR) regression to adjust for possible confounders. Results:, A total of 719 patients were studied: 313 before and 405 after the intervention. The mean (±standard deviation [SD]) age was 50 (±16) years, 54% were women, 57% were African American, and 36% were white. Patients walked in 89% of the time; 11% arrived by ambulance. Thirty-nine percent were triaged as emergent and 61% as nonemergent. Patients presented during daytime 68% of the time, and 32% presented during the night. Before the intervention, 16% received an ECG at 10 minutes or less. After the intervention, 64% met the time requirement, for a mean difference of 47.3% (95% CI = 40.8% to 53.3%, p < 0.0001). Results were not affected by age, sex, race, mode of arrival, triage classification, or time of arrival. For patients with STEMI cath alerts, four were seen before and seven after the intervention. No patients before the intervention had ECG time within 10 minutes, and one of four had DTB time of <90 minutes. After the intervention, all seven patients had ECG time within 10 minutes; the three arriving during weekday hours when the cath team was on site had DTB times of <90 minutes, but the four arriving at night and on weekends when the cath team was off site had DTB times of >90 minutes. Conclusions:, The overall percentage of patients with a door-to-ECG time within 10 minutes improved without increasing staffing. An ECG was performed within 10 minutes of arrival for all patients who were STEMI cath alerted, but DTB time under 90 minutes was achieved only when the cath team was on site. [source] The Relationship Between the Emergent Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Quality Measure and Inpatient Myocardial Infarction MortalityACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2010Rahul K. Khare MD ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:793,800 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Background:, In the setting of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), reperfusion therapy with emergent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) significantly reduces mortality. It is unknown whether a hospital's performance on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quality metric for time from patient arrival to angioplasty is associated with its overall hospital acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality rate. Objectives:, The objective of this study was to evaluate if hospitals with higher performance on the time-to-PCI quality measure are more likely to achieve lower mortality for patients admitted for any type of AMI. Methods:, Using merged 2006 data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), the American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey, and CMS Hospital Compare quality indicator data, we examined 69,101 admissions with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9)-coded principal diagnosis of AMI in the 116 hospitals that reported more than 24 emergent primary PCI admissions in that year. Hospitals were categorized into quartiles according to percentage of admissions in 2006 that achieved the primary PCI timeliness threshold (time-to-PCI quality measure). Using a random effects logistic regression model of inpatient mortality, we examined the significance of the hospital time-to-PCI quality measure after adjustment for other hospital and individual patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Results:, The unadjusted inpatient AMI mortality rate at the 27 top quartile hospitals was 4.3%, compared to 5.1% at the 32 bottom quartile (worst performing) hospitals. The risk-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of inpatient death was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.72 to 0.95), or 17% lower odds of inpatient death, among patients admitted to hospitals in the top quartile for the time-to-PCI quality measure compared to the case if the hospitals were in the bottom 25th percentile. Conclusions:, Hospitals with the highest and second highest quartiles of time-to-PCI quality measure had a significantly lower overall AMI mortality rate than the lowest quartile hospitals. Despite the fact that a minority of all patients with AMI get an emergent primary PCI, hospitals that perform this more efficiently also had a significantly lower mortality rate for all their patients admitted with AMI. The time-to-PCI quality measure in 2006 was a potentially important proxy measure for overall AMI quality of care. [source] ST-Segment Resolution Prior to Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Is a Poor Indicator of Coronary Artery Patency in Patients with Acute Myocardial InfarctionANNALS OF NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Niels J. Verouden M.D. Background: The prognostic value of ST-segment resolution (STR) after initiation of reperfusion therapy has been established by various studies conducted in both the thrombolytic and mechanic reperfusion era. However, data regarding the value of STR immediately prior to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to predict infarct-related artery (IRA) patency remain limited. We investigated whether STR prior to primary PCI is a reliable, noninvasive indicator of IRA patency in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: The study population consisted of STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI at our institution between 2000 and 2007. STR was analyzed in 12-lead electrocardiograms recorded at first medical contact and immediately prior to primary PCI and defined as complete (,70%), partial (70%, 30%), or absent (<30%). Results: In 1253 patients with a complete data set, STR was inversely related to the probability of impaired preprocedural flow (Pfor trend < 0.001). Although the sensitivity of incomplete (<70%) STR to predict a Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow of <3 was 96%, the specificity was 23%, and the negative predictive value of incomplete STR to predict normal coronary flow was only 44%. Conclusions: This study establishes the correlation between STR prior to primary PCI and preprocedural TIMI flow in STEMI patients treated with primary PCI. However, the negative predictive value of incomplete STR for detection of TIMI-3 flow is only 44% and therefore should not be a criterion to refrain from immediate coronary angiography in STEMI patients. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2010;15(2):107,115 [source] Unusual Evolution of ST Elevation Acute Myocardial InfarctionANNALS OF NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOLOGY, Issue 4 2004Rami Akel M.D. We report a case of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with an unusual evolution of ST-segment elevation. Several possible explanations of this progression are discussed with supportive evidence for each explaination. The clinical, electrocardiographic, and angiographic features of this case are also illustrated. [source] A Comparison of Door-to-balloon Times and False-positive Activations between Emergency Department and Out-of-hospital Activation of the Coronary Catheterization TeamACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2008Scott T. Youngquist MD Abstract Objectives:, The objectives were to compare the proportion of false-positive activations and intervention times between emergency department (ED) and field-based activation of the coronary catheterization laboratory (cath) team for emergency medical services (EMS) patients identified by out-of-hospital (OOH) 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods:, This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected continuous quality improvement data at a single, urban, academic medical center. By protocol, weekday activation of the cath team occurred based on OOH notification of a computer-interpreted OOH ECG indicating potential STEMI. Night and weekend activation occurred at the discretion of the attending emergency physician (EP) after advanced ED notification and after patient arrival and assessment. Basic demographic information and cardiac risk factors were recorded, as well as door-to-balloon (DTB) and ultimate diagnosis. Results:, From May 2007 through March 2008, there were 23 field activations and 33 ED activations. There was no difference in demographic or clinical characteristics between the two groups. In the field activation group, 9/23 (39%) were false-positives, while 3/33 (9%) were false-positives in the ED activation group (30% higher absolute difference in the field activation group, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 8% to 52%, p = 0.02). OOH times and time spent in the ED were similar between the two groups. DTB times were 77 minutes for field activation and 68 minutes for ED activation, respectively (difference 9 minutes, 95% CI = ,9 to 27). Conclusions:, Emergency physician activation of the cath team results in a lower proportion of false-positive activations without clearly sacrificing DTB time when compared to field activation based solely on the results of the OOH ECG. [source] Feasibility and applicability of computer-assisted myocardial blush quantification after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction,CATHETERIZATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS, Issue 5 2010Joost D.E. Haeck MD Abstract Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the "Quantitative Blush Evaluator" (QuBE) score is associated with measures of myocardial reperfusion in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated in two hospitals with 24/7 coronary intervention facilities. Background: QuBE is an open source computer program to quantify myocardial perfusion. Although QuBE has shown to be practical and feasible in the patients enrolled in the Thrombus Aspiration during Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Myocardial Infarction Study (TAPAS), QuBE has not yet been verified on reperfusion outcomes of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients treated in other catheterization laboratories. Methods: Core lab adjudicated angiographic outcomes and QuBE values were assessed on angiograms of patients who were enrolled in the PRoximal Embolic Protection in Acute myocardial infarction and Resolution of ST-Elevation (PREPARE) trial. ST-segment resolution immediately after PCI measured by continuous ST Holter monitoring was calculated by a blinded core lab. Results: The QuBE score could be assessed on 229 of the 284 angiograms (81%) and was significantly associated with visually assessed myocardial blush grade (P < 0.0001). Patients with improved postprocedural Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction-graded flow, myocardial blush grade, ST-segment resolution immediately after PCI, or a small infarct size measured by peak CK-MB had a significant better QuBE score. Conclusions: QuBE is feasible and applicable at angiograms of patients with STEMI recorded at other catheterization laboratories and is associated with measures of myocardial reperfusion. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Comparison of drug-eluting stents with bare metal stents in unselected patients with acute myocardial infarctionCATHETERIZATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS, Issue 1 2007L. Iri Kupferwasser MD Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the procedural characteristics and outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with drug-eluting stents (DES) vs. bare metal stents (BMS). Background: DES have been shown to reduce the incidence of restenosis and target vessel revascularization (TVR) in clinical randomized studies when compared with BMS in patients undergoing elective percutaneous intervention. Limited data are available with the use of DES in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Methods: Two hundred and sixty-one consecutive patients who presented with myocardial infarction between 7/2001 and 8/2005 were studied. The procedural characteristics, 30-day and 12-month outcomes of 131 patients treated with DES were compared with 130 patients treated with BMS. Results: At 12-months follow-up DES therapy was associated with a substantial decrease in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (HR 0.33; P =0.002), TVR (HR 0.19; P =0.002), and recurrent myocardial infarction (HR 0.23; P =0.051) vs. BMS therapy. Coronary interventions utilizing DES were characterized by a marked increase in the number of stent per target vessel (DES: 1.9 ± 0.9 vs. BMS: 1.38 ± 0.6, P < 0.0001), treatment of bifurcation (DES: 21% vs. BMS: 5%, P =0.0004), and multivessel intervention (DES: 22% vs. BMS: 8%, P =0.003). Conclusion: The routine use of DES in acute myocardial infarction is associated with reduced rates of MACE at 12 months vs BMS, despite a higher rate of complex procedures in the DES treated patients. In addition to its anti-restenosis effect, the improved outcome of patients treated with DES may be linked to a more complete revascularization in association with prolonged clopidogrel therapy. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Hospital Costs and Revenue Are Similar for Resuscitated Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest and ST-segment Acute Myocardial Infarction PatientsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 6 2010Robert Swor DO Abstract Objectives:, Care provided to patients who survive to hospital admission after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) is sometimes viewed as expensive and a poor use of hospital resources. The objective was to describe financial parameters of care for patients resuscitated from OOHCA. Methods:, This was a retrospective review of OOHCA patients admitted to one academic teaching hospital from January 2004 to October 2007. Demographic data, length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition were obtained for all patients. Financial parameters of patient care including total cost, net revenue, and operating margin were calculated by hospital cost accounting and reported as median and interquartile range (IQR). Groups were dichotomized by survival to discharge for subgroup analysis. To provide a reference group for context, similar financial data were obtained for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients admitted during the same time period, reported with medians and IQRs. Results:, During the study period, there were 72 admitted OOCHA patients and 404 STEMI patients. OOCHA and STEMI groups were similar for age, sex, and insurance type. Overall, 27 (38.6%) OOHCA patients survived to hospital discharge. Median LOS for OOHCA patients was 4 days (IQR = 1,8 days), with most of those hospitalized for ,4 days (n = 34, 81.0% dying or discharged to hospice care). Median net revenue ($17,334 [IQR $7,015,$37,516] vs. $16,466 [IQR = $14,304,$23,678], p = 0.64) and operating margin ($7,019 [IQR = $1,875,$15,997] vs. $7,098 [IQR = $3,767,$11,138], p = 0.83) for all OOHCA patients were not different from STEMI patients. Net income for OOCHA patients was not different than for STEMI patients (,$322 vs. $114, p = 0.72). Conclusions:, Financial parameters for OOHCA patients are similar to those of STEMI patients. Financial issues should not be a negative incentive to providing care for these patients. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:612,616 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source] Temporal Trends in the Use of Drug-eluting Stents for Approved and Off-label Indications: A Longitudinal Analysis of a Large Multicenter Percutaneous Coronary Intervention RegistryCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Sarah K. Gualano MD Background We sought to examine the temporal variations in the rate of both bare-metal stent (BMS) and drug-eluting stent (DES) use for off-label indications after the reports of an increased risk of very late stent thrombosis in patients with DES at the 2006 meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Hypothesis To determine whether the decrease in use of DES has affected both on and off-label indications. Methods The study cohort included patients undergoing coronary intervention in a large regional registry, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2). Patient demographic and clinical characteristics for patients with DES in the third quarter of 2006 (pre-ESC) were compared to those from the fourth quarter of 2008 (post-guideline changes). Use of DES for off-label indications, such as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in-stent restenosis (ISR), and saphenous vein graft (SVG) interventions, were evaluated. Results The overall deployment of DES fell sharply from 83% pre-ESC to a plateau of 58% in the first quarter of 2008. This corresponded to a rise in BMS use, while angioplasty procedures stayed the same. The STEMI subgroup showed the most dramatic change, from 78% to only 36%. Off-label use in SVGs showed a similar trend, from 74% to 43%. Drug-eluting stent deployment for ISR was less affected, though it also fell 25% (from 79%,56%). Conclusions The use of DES has fallen dramatically from June 2006 to December 2008, particularly for nonapproved indications. Our study provides a real-world assessment of contemporary change in DES use in response to the presentation of negative observational studies. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Prehospital Electrocardiograms (ECGs) Do Not Improve the Process of Emergency Department Care in Hospitals with Higher Usage of ECGs in Non,ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction PatientsCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 12 2009Michael T. Cudnik Background This article will describe the impact of prehospital electrocardiogram (ECG) use on emergency department (ED) processes of care for non,ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients and assess the characteristics associated with prehospital ECG use. Methods This is a retrospective, multicenter, observational analysis of NSTEMI patients captured by the National Cardiovascular Data Registry-Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry,Get with the Guidelines (NCDR ACTION-GWTG) in 2007. Patient and hospital data were stratified by documentation of a prehospital ECG (pECG). Hospitals were stratified into tertiles of pECG use by higher pECG (>5.6%, n 91), lower pECG (, 5.6%, n = 83), or no pECG (n = 100). Statistical evaluation was done via Wilcoxon rank sum and ,2 tests. Results There were 21 251 patients eligible for analysis. A pECG was documented in 1609 (7.6%) patients. Of 274 hospitals, 100 (36.5%) had no pECGs recorded. Median ED length of stay (LOS) was shorter at no pECG hospitals vs lower pECG hospitals (3.97 h vs 4.12 h, P < 0.05), but not higher pECG hospitals vs no pECG hospitals (3.85 h vs 3.97 h, P = not significant [NS]). A pECG was not associated with an improvement in ED performance metrics (use of aspirin, ,-blocker, any heparin) in the higher pECG hospitals vs no pECG hospitals or the lower pECG hospitals vs no pECG hospitals. Conclusions Use of prehospital ECG in NSTEMI patients is uncommon. In contrast to its impact on reperfusion times in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, its use does not appear to be associated with an improvement in ED processes of care at the hospital level. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Adjunctive Low Molecular Weight Heparin During Fibrinolytic Therapy in Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Control TrialsCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 7 2009Sarabjeet Singh MD Background Recent data suggests that low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) may be superior to unfractionated heparin (UFH) as an adjunct to fibrinolytic therapy in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Hypothesis We evaluated cardiac outcomes and the risk of major bleeding with LMWHs vs UFH in the management of STEMI. Methods Seven randomized trials of patients with acute STEMI treated with fibrinolytic therapy and adjunctive LMWHs through the index hospitalization or weight-based UFH for at least 48 hours were identified. We analyzed both primary endpoints (death and nonfatal recurrent myocardial infarction through 30 days), and secondary endpoints (death, recurrent myocardial infarction, and major bleeding during index hospitalization at 7 days). Outcomes were computed using the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effect model. A 2-sided alpha error of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results Compared to UFH, LMWH significantly reduced reinfarction (p < 0.001) during hospitalization at 7 days and the effect remained consistent at 30 d (p < 0.001). When analyzed for mortality at 7 days and 30 days follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences observed between the 2 groups. Additionally the LMWH group had higher risk of major bleeding (p < 0.001). Conclusions The present meta-analysis suggests in patients receiving fibrinolytic therapy for STEMI, LMWHs as an adjunctive therapy is superior to UFH in reducing reinfarction during hospitalization at 7 days and at 30 days. The mortality was not significant between the 2 groups during hospitalization at 7 days and at 30 days. However, UFH is superior to LMWHs in the reduction of major bleeding at 7 days index hospitalization. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Essential Thrombocythemia: A Case of Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in a Young FemaleCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Ulas Bildirici MD Abstract Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a clonal disorder of the myeloid stem cell that causes abnormal proliferation of the megakaryocytes. The main feature of the disease is arterial and venous thrombosis caused by platelet dysfunction. Coronary artery involvement leading to acute coronary syndromes is a rare complication of the ET. We report a coronary angioplasty and stenting in a 30-year-old female patient with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) as the first clinical sign of essential thrombocythemia. Facilitated percutaneous coronary intervention with GPIIb/IIIa and/or thrombolytic therapy may be considered as the first treatment modality for this patient group. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Thrombolysis in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Potential role of thin-slice computed tomography in the assessment of reperfusion and plaque characterizationCLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 7 2006E. Martuscelli M.D. No abstract is available for this article. [source] Thrombolytic therapy for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Should it be given to all patients prior to urgent PCI?CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 3 2006C. Richard M.D., M.A.C.C. Editor-in-Chief No abstract is available for this article. [source] | ||||||||||