Poor persistence after discharge for newly initiated IST after acute coronary syndrome
MONDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Intensive statin therapy (IST) use during hospitalization is suboptimal following acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and there is poor persistence after discharge, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Jennifer R. Shiu, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and colleagues examined the use of IST in patients with ACS before hospitalization, on discharge, and during early follow-up after discharge. The group consisted of randomly selected patients admitted to a tertiary care center between November 2007 and October 2008. Charts from 234 patients were reviewed, and 111 patients met the inclusion criteria (admitted to any cardiology ward with a most responsible ACS diagnosis). Transfer to another hospital, cardiovascular surgery ward, and in-hospital death were the exclusion criteria. The study had two phases, with an inpatient chart review comprising Phase 1, and a follow-up cardiologist clinic letter review covering only patients in whom IST had been started in the hospital comprising Phase 2.
The investigators found that 93 percent of the patients were discharged with a statin. Only 52 percent of the patients had IST during their hospital admission, even though 72 percent of the study population was eligible. Of the 31 patients who had clinic letters available and started IST in the hospital, 68 percent continued IST (mean interval to follow-up, 85 days; range, 33 to 208).
"Although statin use is good, IST use after ACS is suboptimal. Additionally, newly initiated IST demonstrates poor persistence after discharge," the authors write.
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