Abstract | OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the relationship between increasing use of cardiovascular medications and trends in long-term prognosis after myocardial infarction (MI) in the elderly. BACKGROUND: METHODS: Using data from pharmacy assistance programs and Medicare in 2 states (1995 to 2004), we identified patients with MI who survived >or=30 days after discharge. We assessed age, gender, race, comorbidities, and coronary interventions during the MI hospitalization and recorded filled prescriptions for statins, BBs, ACEIs/ARBs, or antiplatelet agents within 30 days after discharge. All patients were tracked until they died or until the end of the eligibility/study period. We built multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models to assess trends in long-term mortality and the contribution to increasing medication use after MI. RESULTS: Of 21,484 patients identified, 12,142 died during 74,982 person-years of follow-up. After adjusting for demographics and comorbidities, we found that mortality after MI decreased significantly from 1995 to 2004 (hazard ratio for annual trend 0.97; 95% confidence interval 0.97 to 0.98), a 3% reduction in mortality each year. Adjusting for the use of statins, BBs, ACEIs/ARBs, and antiplatelet drugs after discharge completely eliminated the association between time trend and mortality (hazard ratio 1.00; 95% confidence interval 0.99 to 1.01). CONCLUSIONS: The observed improvement in long-term mortality in elderly patients with MI may be mainly due to increased use of cardiovascular medications after discharge.
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Authors | Soko Setoguchi, Robert J Glynn, Jerry Avorn, Murray A Mittleman, Raisa Levin, Wolfgang C Winkelmayer |
Journal | Journal of the American College of Cardiology
(J Am Coll Cardiol)
Vol. 51
Issue 13
Pg. 1247-54
(Apr 01 2008)
ISSN: 1558-3597 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 18371553
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Adrenergic beta-Antagonists
- Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
- Cardiovascular Agents
- Hypolipidemic Agents
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Topics |
- Adrenergic beta-Antagonists
(therapeutic use)
- Age Factors
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers
(therapeutic use)
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
(therapeutic use)
- Cardiovascular Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Humans
- Hypolipidemic Agents
(therapeutic use)
- Length of Stay
- Male
- Mortality
(trends)
- Myocardial Infarction
(drug therapy, mortality, physiopathology)
- Patient Discharge
- Prognosis
- Proportional Hazards Models
- Retrospective Studies
- Time Factors
- Treatment Outcome
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