Gradual decline in mortality rate following STEMI in the United States

May 21, 2008 By Vijayalakshmi Kunadian MBBS MD MRCP [mailto:vkunadian@perfuse.org]

World Congress in Cardiology, Argentina: Data presented at the World Congress in Cardiology meeting in Argentina suggests that the age adjusted mortality rate from ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) continues to decline in the United States.

Over the last 20 years, significant advances have been made in the management of patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Data suggesting a decline in mortality following STEMI was presented at the World Congress of Cardiology this week. The data for this analysis were collected from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database which is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) consisting of information on hospital in-patient admissions from the United States participating in the HCUP from 1988 to 2004. NIS is a component of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).

In this study, there were a total of 1,316,216 patients who were admitted with a diagnosis of ST elevation myocardial infarction. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 66.9 (+/- 12.8) years. There were 163,915 deaths in total. From 1988 to 2004, there was a gradual decline in the age adjusted mortality (406.86/100.000, 95% CI 110.25 to 703.49 in 1988 to 286.02/100.00, 95% CI 45.21 to 526.84, p<0.001). The unadjusted mortality declined from 15% in 1988 to 10% in 2004, p<0.01.

Dr Mohaved from University of Arizona Medical Center concluded at the World Congress in Cardiology meeting, Argentina 2008 that the mortality rate following ST elevation myocardial infarction is declining gradually in the United States which reflects the advancement in the strategies available to treat patients with this condition.

Source

 * 1) World Congress in Cardiology, Argentina. Presented by Dr Mohaved, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Arizona Medical Center.