Leveraging clinical decision support tools to improve guideline-directed medical therapy in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at hospital discharge.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend moderate to high-intensity statins and antithrombotic agents in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) remains suboptimal. METHODS: In this quality initiative, best practice alerts (BPA) in the electronic health record (EHR) were utilized to alert providers to prescribe to GDMT upon hospital discharge in ASCVD patients. Rates of GDMT were compared for 5 months pre- and post-BPA implementation. Multivariable regression was used to identify predictors of GDMT. RESULTS: In 5985 pre- and 5568 post-BPA patients, the average age was 69.1 ± 12.8 years and 58.5% were male. There was a 4.0% increase in statin use from 67.3% to 71.3% and a 3.1% increase in antithrombotic use from 75.3% to 78.4% in the post-BPA cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This simple EHR-based initiative was associated with a modest increase in ASCVD patients being discharged on GDMT. Leveraging clinical decision support tools provides an opportunity to influence provider behavior and improve care for ASCVD patients, and warrants further investigation.

Protocolized Urine Sampling is Associated with Reduced Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections: A Pre- and Postintervention Study.

BACKGROUND: Standard urine sampling and testing techniques do not mitigate against detection of colonization, resulting in false positive catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). We aimed to evaluate whether a novel protocol for urine sampling and testing reduces rates of CAUTI. METHODS: A preintervention and postintervention study with a contemporaneous control group was conducted at 2 campuses (test and control) of the same academic medical center. The test campus implemented a protocol requiring urinary catheter removal prior to urine sampling from a new catheter or sterile straight catheterization, along with urine bacteria and pyuria screening prior to culture. Primary outcomes were test campus CAUTI rates, compared between each 9-month pre- and postintervention epoch. Secondary outcomes included the percent reductions in CAUTI rates, compared between the test campus and a propensity score-matched cohort at the control campus. RESULTS: A total of 7991 patients from the test campus were included in the primary analysis, and 4264 were included in the propensity score-matched secondary analysis. In the primary analysis, the number of CAUTI cases per 1000 patients was reduced by 77% (6.6 to 1.5), the number of CAUTI cases per 1000 catheter days was reduced by 63% (5.9 to 2.2), and the number of urinary catheter days per patient was reduced by 37% (1.1 to 0.69; all P values ≤ .001). In the propensity score-matched analysis, the number of CAUTI cases per 1000 patients was reduced by 82% at the test campus, versus 57% at the control campus; the number of CAUTI cases per 1000 catheter days declined by 68% versus 57%, respectively; and the number of urinary catheter days per patient decreased by 44% versus 1%, respectively (all P values < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Protocolized urine sampling and testing aimed at minimizing contamination by colonization was associated with significantly reduced CAUTI infection rates and urinary catheter days.

The Association of Frailty With In-Hospital Bleeding Among Older Adults With Acute Myocardial Infarction: Insights From the ACTION Registry.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether frailty is associated with increased bleeding risk in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). BACKGROUND: Frailty is a common syndrome in older adults. METHODS: Frailty was examined among AMI patients ≥65 years of age treated at 775 U.S. hospitals participating in the ACTION (Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network) Registry from January 2015 to December 2016. Frailty was classified on the basis of impairments in 3 domains: walking (unassisted, assisted, wheelchair/nonambulatory), cognition (normal, mildly impaired, moderately/severely impaired), and activities of daily living. Impairment in each domain was scored as 0, 1, or 2, and a summary variable consisting of 3 categories was then created: 0 (fit/well), 1 to 2 (vulnerable/mild frailty), and 3 to 6 (moderate-to-severe frailty). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the independent association between frailty and bleeding. RESULTS: Among 129,330 AMI patients, 16.4% had any frailty. Frail patients were older, more often female, and were less likely to undergo cardiac catheterization. Major bleeding increased across categories of frailty (fit/well 6.5%; vulnerable/mild frailty 9.4%; moderate-to-severe frailty 9.9%; p < 0.001). Among patients who underwent catheterization, both frailty categories were independently associated with bleeding risk compared with the non-frail group (vulnerable/mild frailty adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23 to 1.44; moderate-to-severe frailty adjusted OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.24 to 1.58). Among patients managed conservatively, there was no association of frailty with bleeding (vulnerable/mild frailty adjusted OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.86 to 1.19; moderate-to-severe frailty adjusted OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.81 to 1.14). CONCLUSIONS: Frail patients had lower use of cardiac catheterization and higher risk of major bleeding (when catheterization was performed) than nonfrail patients, making attention to clinical strategies to avoid bleeding imperative in this population.

Perioperative antiplatelet therapy and cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing joint and spine surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Perioperative thrombotic complications after orthopedic surgery are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The use of aspirin to reduce perioperative cardiovascular complications in certain high-risk cohorts remains controversial. Few studies have addressed aspirin use, bleeding, and cardiovascular outcomes among high-risk patients undergoing joint and spine surgery. DESIGN/SETTING/PATIENTS: We performed a retrospective comparison of adults undergoing knee, hip, or spine surgery at a tertiary care center during 2 periods between November 2008 and December 2009 (reference period) and between April 2013 and December 2013 (contemporary period). MEASUREMENTS: Patient demographics, comorbidities, management, and outcomes were ascertained using hospital datasets. MAIN RESULTS: A total of 5690 participants underwent 3075 joint and spine surgeries in the reference period and 2791 surgeries in the contemporary period. Mean age was 61±13 years, and 59% were female. In the overall population, incidence of myocardial injury (3.1% vs 5.8%, P<.0001), hemorrhage (0.2% vs 0.8%, P=.0009), and red blood cell transfusion (17.2% vs 24.8%, P<.001) were lower in the contemporary period. Among 614 participants with a preoperative diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD), in-hospital aspirin use was significantly higher in the contemporary period (66% vs 30.7%, P<.0001); numerically, fewer participants developed myocardial injury (13.5% vs 19.3%, P=.05), had hemorrhage (0.3% vs 2.1%, P=.0009), and had red blood cell transfusion (37.2% vs 44.2%, P<.001) in the contemporary vs reference period. CONCLUSIONS: In a large tertiary care center, the incidence of perioperative bleeding and cardiovascular events decreased over time. In participants with CAD, perioperative aspirin use increased and appears to be safe.

Provoking conditions, management and outcomes of type 2 myocardial infarction and myocardial necrosis.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is defined as myocardial necrosis (myonecrosis) due to an imbalance in supply and demand with clinical evidence of ischemia. Some clinical scenarios of supply-demand mismatch predispose to myonecrosis but limit the identification of symptoms and ECG changes referable to ischemia; therefore, the MI definition may not be met. Factors that predispose to type 2 MI and myonecrosis without definite MI, approaches to treatment, and outcomes remain poorly characterized. METHODS: Patients admitted to an academic medical center with an ICD-9 diagnosis of secondary myocardial ischemia or non-primary diagnosis of non-ST-elevation MI were retrospectively reviewed. Cases were classified as either MI (n=255) or myonecrosis without definite MI (n=220) based on reported symptoms, ischemic ECG changes, and new wall motion abnormalities. RESULTS: Conditions associated with type 2 MI or myonecrosis included non-cardiac surgery (38%), anemia or bleeding requiring transfusion (32%), sepsis (31%), tachyarrhythmia (23%), hypotension (22%), respiratory failure (23%), and severe hypertension (8%). Inpatient mortality was 5%, with no difference between patients with MI and those with myonecrosis (6% vs. 5%, p=0.41). At discharge, only 43% of patients received aspirin and statin therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Type 2 MI and myonecrosis occur frequently in the setting of supply-demand mismatch due to non-cardiac surgery, sepsis, or anemia. Myonecrosis without definite MI is associated with similar in-hospital mortality as type 2 MI; both groups warrant further workup for cardiovascular disease. Antiplatelet and statin prescriptions were infrequent at discharge, reflecting physician uncertainty about the role of secondary prevention in these patients.

Intravenous heparin dosing strategy in hospitalized patients with atrial dysrhythmias.

Patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) have an elevated stroke risk that is 2-7 times greater than in those without AF. Intravenous unfractionated heparin (UFH) is commonly used for hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter (AFL) to prevent stroke. Dosing strategies exist for intravenous anticoagulation in patients with acute coronary syndromes and venous thromboembolic diseases, but there are no data to guide providers on a dosing strategy for intravenous anticoagulation in patients with AF/AFL. 996 hospitalized patients with AF/AFL on UFH were evaluated. Bolus dosing and initial infusion rates of UFH were recorded along with rates of stroke, thromboemobolic events, and bleeding events as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis criteria. Among 226 patients included in the analysis, 76 bleeding events occurred. Using linear regression analysis, initial rates of heparin infusion ranging from 9.7 to 11.8 units/kilogram/hour (U/kg/h) resulted in activated partial thromboplastin times that were within therapeutic range. The median initial infusion rate in patients with bleeding was 13.3 U/kg/h, while in those without bleeding it was 11.4 U/kg/h; p = 0.012. An initial infusion rate >11.0 U/kg/h yielded an OR 1.95 (1.06-3.59); p = 0.03 for any bleeding event. Using IV heparin boluses neither increased the probability of attaining a therapeutic aPTT (56.1 vs 56.3 %; p = 0.99) nor did it significantly increase bleeding events in the study (35.7 vs 31.3 %; p = 0.48). The results suggest that higher initial rates of heparin are associated with increased bleeding risk. From this dataset, initial heparin infusion rates of 9.7-11.0 U/kg/h without a bolus can result in therapeutic levels of anticoagulation in hospitalized patients with AF/AFL without increasing the risk of bleeding.

Association Between Anemia, Bleeding, and Transfusion with Long-term Mortality Following Noncardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anemia is a well-established risk factor for short-term mortality in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, but appropriate thresholds for transfusion remain uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine long-term outcomes associated with anemia, hemorrhage, and red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. METHODS: We performed a long-term follow-up study of consecutive subjects undergoing hip, knee, and spine surgery between November 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009. Clinical data were obtained from administrative and laboratory databases, and retrospective record review. Preoperative anemia was defined as baseline hemoglobin < 13 g/dL for men and < 12 g/dL for women. Hemorrhage was defined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision coding. Data on long-term survival were collected from the Social Security Death Index database. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with long-term mortality. RESULTS: There were 3050 subjects who underwent orthopedic surgery. Preoperative anemia was present in 17.6% (537) of subjects, hemorrhage occurred in 33 (1%), and 766 (25%) received at least one red blood cell transfusion. Over 9015 patient-years of follow-up, 111 deaths occurred. Anemia (hazard ratio [HR] 3.91; confidence interval [CI], 2.49-6.15) and hemorrhage (HR 5.28; 95% CI, 2.20-12.67) were independently associated with long-term mortality after multivariable adjustment. Red blood cell transfusion during the surgical hospitalization was associated with long-term mortality (HR 3.96; 95% CI, 2.47-6.34), which was attenuated by severity of anemia (no anemia [HR 4.39], mild anemia [HR 2.27], and moderate/severe anemia [HR 0.81]; P for trend .0015). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative anemia, perioperative bleeding, and red blood cell transfusion are associated with increased mortality at long-term follow-up after noncardiac surgery. Strategies to minimize anemia and bleeding should be considered for all patients, and restrictive transfusion strategies may be advisable. Further investigation into mechanisms of these adverse events is warranted.

Impact of an Intervention to Improve Weekend Hospital Care at an Academic Medical Center: An Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Hospital care on weekends has been associated with delays in care, reduced quality, and poor clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a weekend hospital intervention on processes of care and clinical outcomes. The multifaceted intervention included expanded weekend diagnostic services, improved weekend discharge processes, and increased physician and care management services on weekends. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: This was an interrupted time series observational study of adult non-obstetric patients hospitalized at a single academic medical center between January 2011 and January 2014. The study included 18 months prior to and 19 months following the implementation of the intervention. Data were analyzed using segmented regression analysis with adjustment for confounders. MAIN MEASURES: The primary outcome was average length of stay. Secondary outcomes included percent of patients discharged on weekends, 30-day readmission rate, and in-hospital mortality rate. KEY RESULTS: The study included 57,163 hospitalizations. Following implementation of the intervention, average length of stay decreased by 13 % (95 % CI 10-15 %) and continued to decrease by 1 % (95 % CI 1-2 %) per month as compared to the underlying time trend. The proportion of weekend discharges increased by 12 % (95 % CI 2-22 %) at the time of the intervention and continued to increase by 2 % (95 % CI 1-3 %) per month thereafter. The intervention had no impact on readmissions or mortality. During the post-implementation period, the hospital was evacuated and closed for 2 months due to damage from Hurricane Sandy, and a new hospital-wide electronic health record was introduced. The contributions of these events to our findings are not known. We observed a lower inpatient census and found differences in patient characteristics, including higher rates of Medicaid insurance and comorbidities, in the post-Hurricane Sandy period as compared to the pre-Sandy period. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was associated with a reduction in length of stay and an increase in weekend discharges. Our longitudinal study also illuminated the challenges of evaluating the effectiveness of a large-scale intervention in a real-world hospital setting.

Relation of perioperative elevation of troponin to long-term mortality after orthopedic surgery.

Myocardial necrosis in the perioperative period of noncardiac surgery is associated with short-term mortality, but long-term outcomes have not been characterized. We investigated the association between perioperative troponin elevation and long-term mortality in a retrospective study of consecutive subjects who underwent hip, knee, and spine surgery. Perioperative myocardial necrosis and International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision-coded myocardial infarction (MI) were recorded. Long-term survival was assessed using the Social Security Death Index database. Logistic regression models were used to identify independent predictors of long-term mortality. A total of 3,050 subjects underwent surgery. Mean age was 60.8 years, and 59% were women. Postoperative troponin was measured in 1,055 subjects (34.6%). Myocardial necrosis occurred in 179 cases (5.9%), and MI was coded in 20 (0.7%). Over 9,015 patient-years of follow-up, 111 deaths (3.6%) occurred. Long-term mortality was 16.8% in subjects with myocardial necrosis and 5.8% with a troponin in the normal range. Perioperative troponin elevation (hazard ratio 2.33, 95% confidence interval 1.33 to 4.10) and coded postoperative MI (adjusted hazard ratio 3.51, 95% confidence interval 1.44 to 8.53) were significantly associated with long-term mortality after multivariable adjustment. After excluding patients with coronary artery disease and renal dysfunction, myocardial necrosis remained associated with long-term mortality. In conclusion, postoperative myocardial necrosis is common after orthopedic surgery. Myocardial necrosis is independently associated with long-term mortality at 3 years and may be used to identify patients at higher risk for events who may benefit from aggressive management of cardiovascular risk factors.

Clinical Benefit of American College of Chest Physicians versus European Society of Cardiology Guidelines for Stroke Prophylaxis in Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines for anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) conflict with each other. The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines suggest no anticoagulant therapy for patients with a CHADS2 score of 0. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) prefer anticoagulant therapy for patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc of 1, which includes 65-74-year-olds with a CHADS2 score of 0. Resolving this conflicting advice is important, because these guidelines have potential to change anticoagulant therapy in 10 % of the AF population. METHODS: Using the National Registry of Atrial Fibrillation (NRAF) II data set, we compared these guidelines using stroke equivalents. Based on structured review of 23,657 patient records, we identified 65-74-year-old patients with a CHADS2 stroke score of 0 and no contraindication to warfarin. We used Medicare claims data to ascertain rates of ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, and other hemorrhage. We calculated net stroke equivalents for these (N = 478) patients using a weight of 1.5 for intracranial hemorrhages (ICH) and 1.0 for ischemic stroke. In a multivariate analysis, we used 14,466 records with documented atrial fibrillation and adjusted for CHADS2 and HEMORR2 HAGES score. RESULTS: In 65-74-year-old patients with a CHADS2 stroke score of 0, the stroke equivalents per 100 patient-years was 2.6 with warfarin and 2.9 without warfarin; the difference between these two strategies was not significant (0.3 stroke equivalents, 95 % CI -3.2 to 3.7). However, rates of hemorrhage per 100 patient-years were nearly tripled (hazard ratio 2.9; 95 % CI 1.5-5.4; p = 0.0011) with warfarin (21.1) versus without it (7.4). The most common site for major hemorrhage was gastrointestinal (ICD-9 code 578.9). CONCLUSIONS: By expanding warfarin use to 65--74-year-olds with a CHADS2 score of 0, rates of hemorrhages would rise without a significant reduction in stroke equivalents.

Emergency physicians' acute coronary syndrome testing threshold and diagnostic performance: acute coronary syndrome critical pathway with return visit feedback.

OBJECTIVES: Emergency physician threshold to test for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is directly related to ACS diagnosis rate and inversely related to ACS missed diagnosis rate. Feedback to emergency physicians of information on their prior patients whose ACS diagnosis was not identified may improve physician diagnostic performance. METHODS: A critical pathway for evaluation of patients for ACS was modified to include feedback to physicians on their cases who had a return visit and did not have their ACS diagnosis identified at their prior emergency department visit. Feedback included case-specific details, discussion of the case at the monthly Morbidity and Mortality conference, and a yearly a report to each physician comparing their performance to their peers (ACS evaluation rate, ACS diagnosis rate, and ACS missed diagnosis rate). Cases were identified, and physician-specific performance was calculated from a computerized encounter database at 2 community teaching hospitals. RESULTS: During the study period, 29 emergency physicians evaluated 295,758 patients and identified 6472 ACS cases. During the study, the yearly ACS evaluation rate for individual physician ranged from 19% to 70% (average 40.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 39.5%-41.1%), the yearly ACS diagnosis rate for individual physician ranged from 1.1% to 4.2% (average 1.7%; 95% CI, 1.65%-1.75%), and the yearly missed ACS diagnosis rate for individual physician ranged from 0% to 17% (average 2.8%; 95% CI, 2.3%-3.3%). Individual physician ACS evaluation rate was directly related to physician ACS diagnosis rate (r 0.76, P = 0.00012) and was inversely related to that physician missed ACS rate (r 0.45, P = 0.001). During the study, implementation of the critical pathway increased the ACS evaluation rate from 30% to 48% and decreased the ACS missed diagnosis rate from 1.5% to 0.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency physicians with lower threshold for ACS evaluation more frequently diagnose patients with ACS and less frequently miss the diagnosis of ACS. Feedback to emergency physicians of information on their patient's return visits and their own diagnostic performance may improve outcome for patients with ACS.

Association of weekend continuity of care with hospital length of stay.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of physician continuity of care with length of stay, likelihood of weekend discharge, in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission. DESIGN: A cohort study of hospitalized medical patients. The primary exposure was the weekend usual provider continuity (UPC) over the initial weekend of care. This metric was adapted from an outpatient continuity of care index. Regression models were developed to determine the association between UPC and outcomes. SETTING: An academic medical center. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Length of stay which was calculated as the number of days from the first Saturday of the hospitalization to the day of discharge. RESULTS: Of the 3391 patients included in this study, the prevalence of low, moderate and high UPC for the initial weekend of hospitalization was 58.7, 22.3 and 19.1%, respectively. When compared with low continuity of care, both moderate and high continuity of care were associated with reduced length of stay, with adjusted rate ratios of 0.92 (95% CI 0.86-1.00) and 0.64 (95% CI 0.53-0.76), respectively. High continuity of care was associated with likelihood of weekend discharge (adjusted odds ratio 2.84, 95% CI 2.11-3.83) but was not significantly associated with mortality (adjusted odds ratio 0.72, 95% CI 0.29-1.80) or readmission (adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% CI 0.68-1.14) when compared with low continuity of care. CONCLUSIONS: Increased weekend continuity of care is associated with reduced length of stay. Improvement in weekend cross-coverage and patient handoffs may be useful to improve clinical outcomes.

Clinical outcomes with ß-blockers for myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: Debate exists about the efficacy of ß-blockers in myocardial infarction and their required duration of usage in contemporary practice. METHODS: We conducted a MEDLINE/EMBASE/CENTRAL search for randomized trials evaluating ß-blockers in myocardial infarction enrolling at least 100 patients. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Analysis was performed stratifying trials into reperfusion-era (> 50% undergoing reperfusion or receiving aspirin/statin) or pre-reperfusion-era trials. RESULTS: Sixty trials with 102,003 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria. In the acute myocardial infarction trials, a significant interaction (Pinteraction = .02) was noted such that ß-blockers reduced mortality in the pre-reperfusion (incident rate ratio [IRR] 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-0.94) but not in the reperfusion era (IRR 0.98; 95% CI, 0.92-1.05). In the pre-reperfusion era, ß-blockers reduced cardiovascular mortality (IRR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78-0.98), myocardial infarction (IRR 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.97), and angina (IRR 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82-0.95), with no difference for other outcomes. In the reperfusion era, ß-blockers reduced myocardial infarction (IRR 0.72; 95% CI, 0.62-0.83) (number needed to treat to benefit [NNTB] = 209) and angina (IRR 0.80; 95% CI, 0.65-0.98) (NNTB = 26) at the expense of increase in heart failure (IRR 1.10; 95% CI, 1.05-1.16) (number needed to treat to harm [NNTH] = 79), cardiogenic shock (IRR 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18-1.41) (NNTH = 90), and drug discontinuation (IRR 1.64; 95% CI, 1.55-1.73), with no benefit for other outcomes. Benefits for recurrent myocardial infarction and angina in the reperfusion era appeared to be short term (30 days). CONCLUSIONS: In contemporary practice of treatment of myocardial infarction, ß-blockers have no mortality benefit but reduce recurrent myocardial infarction and angina (short-term) at the expense of increase in heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and drug discontinuation. The guideline authors should reconsider the strength of recommendations for ß-blockers post myocardial infarction.

From door-to-balloon time to contact-to-device time: predictors of achieving target times in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) guidelines have shifted focus from door-to-balloon (D2B) time to the time from first medical contact to device activation (contact-to-device time [C2D] ). HYPOTHESIS: This study investigates the impact of prehospital wireless electrocardiogram transmission (PHT) on reperfusion times to assess the impact of the new guidelines. METHODS: From January 2009 to December 2012, data were collected on STEMI patients who received percutaneous coronary interventions; 245 patients were included for analysis. The primary outcome was median C2D time in the PHT group and the secondary outcome was D2B time. RESULTS: Prehospital wireless electrocardiogram transmission was associated with reduced C2D times vs no PHT: 80 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 64-94) vs 96 minutes (IQR, 79-118), respectively, P < 0.0001. The median D2B time was lower in the PHT group vs the no-PHT group: 45 minutes (IQR, 34-56) vs 63 minutes (IQR, 49-81), respectively, P < 0.0001. Multivariate analysis showed PHT to be the strongest predictor of a C2D time of <90 minutes (odds ratio: 3.73, 95% confidence interval: 1.65-8.39, P = 0.002). Female sex was negatively predictive of achieving a C2D time <90 minutes (odds ratio: 0.23, 95% confidence interval: 0.07-0.73, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In STEMI patients, PHT was associated with significantly reduced C2D and D2B times and was an independent predictor of achieving a target C2D time. As centers adapt to the new guidelines emphasizing C2D time, targeting a shorter D2B time (<50 minutes) is ideal to achieve a C2D time of <90 minutes.

Quality of care for heart failure patients hospitalized for any cause.

OBJECTIVES: The study sought to assess the quality of care for heart failure patients who are hospitalized for all causes. BACKGROUND: Performance measures for heart failure target patients with a principal diagnosis of heart failure. However, patients with heart failure are commonly hospitalized for other causes and may benefit from treatments such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. METHODS: We assessed rates of compliance with care measures for patients hospitalized with acute or chronic heart failure in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study surveillance catchment area from 2005 to 2009. Rates of compliance were compared between patients with a principal discharge diagnosis of heart failure and those with another principal discharge diagnosis. RESULTS: Of 4,345 hospitalizations of heart failure patients, 39.6% carried a principal diagnosis of heart failure. Patients with a principal heart failure diagnosis had higher rates of LV function assessment (89.1% vs. 82.5%; adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04 to 1.10) and discharge ACE inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) in LV dysfunction (64.1% vs. 56.3%; aPR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.20) as compared to patients hospitalized for another cause. LV assessment and ACE inhibitor/ARB use were associated with reductions in 1-year post-discharge mortality (adjusted odds ratio: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.51 to 0.85; adjusted odds ratio: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.96, respectively) that did not differ for patients with versus without a principal heart failure diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with individuals hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of heart failure, heart failure patients hospitalized for other causes were less likely to receive guideline recommended care. Quality initiatives may improve care by targeting hospitalizations with either principal or secondary heart failure diagnoses.