WASHINGTON (Oct. 9, 2015) - The American College of Cardiology's National Cardiovascular Data Registry was the source of data for research published in the second half of 2015, including studies that examine cardiac rehabilitation rates and participation, remote monitoring and prevention of heart attack.
NCDR Study Finds Low Referral Rates, Low Participation in Cardiac Rehab Among MI Patients
Although current guidelines recommend cardiac rehabilitation following acute myocardial infarction (MI), rates of participation are low even among those referred to these programs, according to a research letter published Aug. 3 in JAMA: Internal Medicine. Using data from the ACC's ACTION Registry-GWTG linked with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data between January 2007 and December 2010, researchers examined records from 58,269 eligible patients age 65 or older. Of those patients, 36,376 (62 percent) were referred to cardiac rehabilitation at the time of hospital discharge. Of those referred, 11,862 (about 33 percent) attended at least one session within the following year. Among those not initially referred, 1,795 (8 percent) attended at least one session. Read more: http://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2015/08/03/16/30/ncdr-study-finds-low-referral-rates-low-participation-in-cardiac-rehab-among-mi-patients?w_nav=LC
Does Remote Monitoring of ICD Patients Reduce Risk of Adverse Outcomes?
Remote monitoring for patients receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) may be associated with lower mortality and fewer rehospitalizations among older patients, according to a study published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology. The study, led by Joseph G. Akar, M.D., Ph.D., of the Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine and Center of Outcomes Research and Evaluation at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT, used data from ACC's ICD Registry and the Boston Scientific ALTITUDE Registry linked with the Social Security Death Master File to determine mortality rates and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' data for rehospitalization information. The researchers examined records between January 2006 and March 2010 from nearly 38,000 patients who had died and about 15,250 patients 65 or older who were rehospitalized. They compared outcomes for patients being monitored with those who were not. Read More: http://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2015/08/19/10/53/does-remote-monitoring-of-icd-patients-lower-risk-of-adverse-outcomes?w_nav=LC
NCDR Study Points to Need For Improved Adherence to MI Prevention Strategies
Only 36 percent of patients who had a myocardial infarction were being treated for all of their risk factors, which include diabetes, previous cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol, according to a study published in the American Heart Journal. The study, led by Andre R. M. Paixao, M.D., FACC, of the Division of Cardiology, Emory University in Atlanta, used data from the ACC's ACTION Registry-GWTG, and examined records from 443,117 patients between January 2007 and November 2013. According to authors, their findings support implementing more aggressive treatment guidelines for cholesterol control medications. "The large proportion of MI patients not meeting risk factor control metrics observed in this study suggests the need for multilevel system-based interventions targeting patients, hospitals, and health care systems at the outpatient level." Read more: http://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2015/08/19/16/45/ncdr-study-points-to-need-for-improved-adherence-to-mi-prevention-strategies?w_nav=LC
NCDR data was also used in a study previously highlighted during this time period:
Study Finds No Benefit in Adding Third Drug to Therapy for Older Patients
The American College of Cardiology is a 49,000-member medical society that is the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team. The mission of the College is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College operates national registries to measure and improve care, provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research and bestows credentials upon cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more information, visit http://www.acc.org.
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