Preventive Medications for Coronary Artery Disease After Non-ACS Hospitalization
Author Information
Author(s): Bradley Steven M, Bryson Chris L, Maynard Charles, Maddox Thomas M, Fihn Stephan D
Primary Institution: Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System and University of Washington
Hypothesis
Recent non-ACS hospitalization would have a minimal impact on the proportion of patients with coronary disease on preventive medications.
Conclusion
Being hospitalized for a non-ACS condition did not appear to influence preventive medication use among patients with CAD and represents a missed opportunity to improve patient care.
Supporting Evidence
- 58% of patients received aspirin, 70% β-blocker, 60% ACE-I or ARB, and 65% lipid-lowering therapy.
- 25% of eligible patients were receiving all four medications.
- Adjusted proportions of preventive medication use were significantly higher among patients hospitalized for ACS compared to those hospitalized for non-ACS events.
Takeaway
If someone goes to the hospital for something other than heart problems, they might not get the heart medicines they need, which is a missed chance to help them stay healthy.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from patients with CAD treated at Veterans Affairs medical centers to compare preventive medication prescriptions between those recently hospitalized for ACS and non-ACS events.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of hospitalization history and medication use due to reliance on administrative data.
Limitations
The study is limited to patients of VA medical centers and may not generalize to other healthcare settings.
Participant Demographics
The cohort was largely elderly, white men, with nearly 50% having been hospitalized for a non-ACS event in the previous 2 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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