Decreasing mortality from acute myocardial infarctions: effect of attack rates and case severity

Trends in Hospital Admission for Stroke in Calgary

Background:

Stroke incidence has fallen since 1950. Recent trends suggest that stroke incidence may be stabilizing or increasing. We investigated time trends in stroke occurrence and in-hospital morbidity and mortality in the Calgary Health Region.

Methods:

All patients admitted to hospitals in the Calgary Health Region between 1994 and 2002 with a primary discharge diagnosis code (ICD-9 or ICD-10) of stroke were included. In-hospital strokes were also included. Stroke type, date of admission, age, gender, discharge disposition (died, discharged) and in-hospital complications (pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis) were recorded. Poisson and simple linear regression was used to model time trends of occurrence by stroke type and age-group and to extrapolate future time trends.

Results:

From 1994 to 2002, 11642 stroke events were observed. Of these, 9879 patients (84.8%) were discharged from hospital, 1763 (15.1%) died in hospital, and 591 (5.1%) developed in-hospital complications from pneumonia, pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis. Both in-hospital mortality and complication rates were highest for hemorrhages. Over the period of study, the rate of stroke admission has remained stable. However, total numbers of stroke admission to hospital have faced a significant increase (p=0.012) due to the combination of increases in intracerebral hemorrhage (p=0.021) and ischemic stroke admissions (p=0.011). Sub-arachnoid hemorrhage rates have declined. In-hospital stroke mortality has experienced an overall decline due to a decrease in deaths from ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and sub-arachnoid hemorrhage.

Conclusion:

Although age-adjusted stroke occurrence rates were stable from 1994 to 2002, this is associated with both a sharp increase in the absolute number of stroke admissions and decline in proportional in-hospital mortality. Further research is needed into changes in stroke severity over time to understand the causes of declining in-hospital stroke mortality rates.

Trends in Acute Myocardial Infarction in 4 US States Between 1992 and 2001

Background— Because of the health impact of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), substantial resources have been dedicated to improving AMI care and outcomes. Long-term trends in the clinical characteristics, quality of care, and outcomes for AMI over time from the health system perspective in geographically diverse populations are not well known.

Methods and Results— The present study included 20 550 Medicare patients aged ≥65 years hospitalized in 4 US states (Alabama, Connecticut, Iowa, Wisconsin) with the confirmed primary discharge diagnosis of AMI in 4 periods: 1992–1993 (n=10 292), 1995 (n=5566), 1998–1999 (n=2413), and 2000–2001 (n=2279). With the use of standard quality indicator definitions, treatment of ideal candidates with aspirin and β-blockers within 24 hours after presentation, β-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors at discharge was assessed. Multivariable models were constructed to calculate adjusted 1-year mortality. The hospitalized Medicare population with AMI changed substantially during 1992–2001, with increasing age, more comorbidity, and fewer meeting ideal treatment criteria. Although treatment rates increased significantly for all medications, aspirin, β-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were not provided at discharge to 12.6%, 19.7%, and 25.2% of ideal candidates, respectively, in 2000–2001. Crude 1-year mortality increased (27.6%, 28.3%, 30.6%, and 31.0%; P =0.003 for trend, but adjusted mortality declined (compared with 1992–1993, relative risk in 1995=0.94 [95% CI, 0.88 to 1.01]; relative risk in 1998–1999=0.91 [95% CI, 0.85 to 0.98]; relative risk in 2000–2001=0.87 [95% CI, 0.81 to 0.94]).

Conclusions— The quality of care and adjusted 1-year mortality improved significantly for Medicare beneficiaries with AMI during 1992–2001. Nevertheless, fewer were ideal for guideline-based therapy, and absolute mortality remains high, suggesting the need for treatment strategies applicable to a broader range of older patients.

Are we getting what we pay for?

The British NHS delivers health care free at the point of access to whomever needs it. It is often claimed to be the envy of the world. But does it deliver health? Or could the resource put into the health service be better spent elsewhere? In this article, we discuss the determinants of health in the United Kingdom in the past, the rise of public health and the impact medical technology has had on health. We discuss resource distribution in health care, and apply the principles of health economics to the wider context of the delivery of health, rather than health care. With a background of rising demand for health care and rationing of resources in the UK, combined with inequalities in life expectancy related to position in society, we conclude that wealth redistribution, environmental regulation, improved nutrition and better education must come first in the priorities for achieving a healthy population.

Case-fatality rates for myocardial infarction declined in Denmark and Sweden during 1987-1999

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate trends in prognosis after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) between Denmark and Sweden using routinely collected data and different case-fatality measures.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

We compared three case-fatality measures during 1987-1999 using national registries in Denmark and Sweden, and extended these measures with underlying deaths of ischemic heart disease and sudden deaths of unknown cause.

RESULTS

Changed coding practice distorted trends of case fatality rates during the day of the event. In general, Denmark had higher case-fatality rates, but trends in hospital-based rates were very similar, except for men 35-64 years old; Denmark declined more steeply. Short- and long-term prognosis improved considerably: the odds ratios for case fatality during days 1-28 for 1999 vs. 1987 were 0.48 among men in Denmark (women 0.58) and 0.53 among men in Sweden (women 0.55) and the odds ratios for case fatality during days 29-365 for 1999 vs. 1987 were 0.56 among men in Denmark (women 0.65) and 0.66 among men in Sweden (women 0.67).

CONCLUSION

Short- and long-term prognosis improved considerably during 1987-1999 in Denmark and Sweden. Case fatality during the day of the event is epidemiologically important, but less certain than case-fatality measures defined after the day of the event when comparing countries.

Trends in severity of hospitalized myocardial infarction: the atherosclerosis risk in communities (ARIC) study, 1987-1994

BACKGROUND

Declining mortality rates of coronary heart disease in the United States could be attributable to declining incidence, declining severity, and/or improvements in treatment.

METHODS

We examined trends in severity of patients hospitalized for myocardial infarction to characterize its contribution to this decline by using data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

RESULTS

No significant change in the proportion having systolic blood pressure <100 mm Hg or an abnormal pulse at presentation was noted. The proportion with ST-segment elevation on the initial electrocardiogram increased 10% per year (P <.001), and the proportion with a diagnostic or evolving diagnostic electrocardiogram abnormality increased 4% per year (P <.01); the proportion that had a new Q-wave infarction develop remained unchanged. The mean peak creatine kinase level decreased 5% per year (P <.001), the proportion with abnormal enzyme levels decreased 10% per year (P <.001), and the proportion that met criteria for definite myocardial infarction decreased 4% per year (P <.05). The proportion that had cardiogenic shock decreased 10.9% per year (P <. 01), but the proportion that had an acute episode of congestive heart failure was stable.

CONCLUSIONS

With stable hemodynamic indicators, worsening electrocardiographic indicators, and improving enzymatic indicators, these results provide mixed support for decreases in the severity of myocardial infarction.