Thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction

Thrombolytic therapy has been a major advance in the management of acute myocardial infarction. Unfortunately, it continues to be underused or is administered later than is optimal. Thrombolytic therapy works by lysing infarct artery thrombi and achieving reperfusion, thereby reducing infarct size, preserving left ventricular function, and improving survival. The most effective thrombolytic regimens achieve angiographic epicardial infarct-artery patency in only approximately 50% of patients within 90 minutes. Bleeding requiring transfusion occurs in approximately 5% of patients and stroke in approximately 1.8% with these regimens, which include adjunctive aspirin and intravenous heparin. There are several ways in which reperfusion rates and thus patient outcomes might be improved, such as different dosing regimens of established agents; combinations of different agents; improved adjunctive therapy such as direct antithrombin agents, low-molecular-weight heparin, or glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists; or the development of novel thrombolytic agents with enhanced fibrin specificity, resistance to native inhibitors, or prolonged half-lives allowing bolus administration. All of these strategies are being tested in clinical trials. The best approach currently is to administer thrombolytic therapy as soon as possible to all patients without contraindications who present within 12 hours of symptom onset and have ST-segment elevation on the ECG or new-onset left bundle-branch block, unless an alternative reperfusion strategy is planned.     

Surgery for evolving myocardial infarction

One hundred fifty-six patients underwent emergency coronary revascularization during the early phases of evolving myocardial infarction (MI). There were six hospital deaths (3.8%) and two later deaths (1.3%). Thrombectomy of the MI artery was achieved in 79% of the patients, and 17% of the patients showed no observable lesion in the MI vessel on restudy. Graft patency was 99%. Late follow-up to 62 months disclosed 17 patients with residual limitations. Analysis of the data established criteria for recognizing patients with early MI who would benefit from surgical therapy. The criteria are derived by comparing preoperative and postoperative ventricular anatomy, creatine phosphokinase levels, and hemodynamics.     

Solar retinopathy in a hospital-based primary care clinic

BACKGROUND: Most reports of solar retinopathy describe epidemics of patients who go to the eye doctor after viewing a solar eclipse. Rarely is it encountered by the primary eye care provider during a routine eye examination. METHODS: For 26 months, patients who went to the primary care eye clinic and found to have macular lesions consistent with solar retinopathy were identified from the total clinic population. These patients were documented in a coded log and fundus photographs were obtained (when possible). RESULTS: Twenty-six eyes of twenty patients (0.14% incidence) were determined to have macular lesions consistent with solar retinopathy. Visual acuity was 20/25 or better in 100% of the patients and 85% were 20/20. Patients were predominantly men (75%) of middle age (average age, 43 years; SD, 11 years) with a history relevant for solar retinopathy (80%)--consisting of sungazing, 60%; looking at welding light without eye protection, 15%; substance abuse, 15%; and psychiatric condition, 5%. Forty percent had solar lesions in both eyes. Amsler grid testing revealed a defect in only 20%, and macular threshold visual-field testing was normal in all the eyes tested. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report to characterize solar retinopathy in a primary eye care population. Management includes correct differentiation from other macular disorders, acquisition of a careful detailed history, and provision of patient education regarding the dangers of sungazing.     

A primary care nurse clinic

A nurse-driven clinic that uses a client-centered approach evolved from an independent ambulatory care program. The clinic operates 4 to 5 hours per day and provides patient counseling, health care maintenance, primary care, patient education, and therapeutic care.     

Predictors of missed appointments for psychiatric consultations in a primary care clinic

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine predictors of missed appointments for psychiatric consultations among patients in a general medical clinic. METHODS: The charts of 180 patients consecutively referred for psychiatric consultations at a university-affiliated primary care clinic were reviewed. Ninety patients missed appointments for these consultations. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to compare patients who missed and did not miss appointments on demographic and clinical variables, as well as measures related to patients' interactions with the clinic and the referring clinician. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed three significant predictors of missed appointments. Patients with mild distress and those with significant resistance to seeing a psychiatrist were more likely to miss appointments, as were those who had to wait longer between the referral and the appointment date. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that shortening the wait for a psychiatric consultation, reserving consultation for more severe cases, and working to reduce patients' resistance to consultation will reduce the number of missed appointments.     

PRIME-MD and rural primary care: Detecting depression in a low-income rural population.

An efficient method for screening depression in primary care may ultimately facilitate referrals to and collaboration with psychologists. The current study extends previous research on the validity of the Mood Module of the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD; R. L. Spitzer et al, 1995) and used nurses as administrators in two rural public health units. Participants were 136 predominantly female (59% Caucasian, 38% African American) primary care patients. Results indicated that 40% were classified as depressed. Depressed participants reported significantly worse mental and physical functioning, even after controlling for age, severity of illness, and tobacco use. Routine screenings for mood disorders in rural primary care could serve as a means of facilitating collaboration between primary care physicians and psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Projected cost-effectiveness of primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction under varying assumptions about effectiveness, existing facilities and staffing and volume of services. BACKGROUND: Primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction has reduced mortality in some studies, but its actual effectiveness may vary, and most U.S. hospitals do not have cardiac catheterization laboratories. Projections of cost-effectiveness in various settings are needed for decisions about adoption. METHODS: We created a decision analytic model to compare three policies: primary angioplasty, intravenous thrombolysis and no intervention. Probabilities of health outcomes were taken from randomized trials (base case efficacy assumptions) and community-based studies (effectiveness assumptions). The base case analysis assumed that a hospital with an existing laboratory with night/weekend staffing coverage admitted 200 patients with a myocardial infarction annually. In alternative scenarios, a new laboratory was built, and its capacity for elective procedures was either 1) needed or 2) redundant with existing laboratories. RESULTS: Under base case efficacy assumptions, primary angioplasty resulted in cost savings compared with thrombolysis and had a cost of $12,000/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) saved compared with no intervention. In sensitivity analyses, when there was an existing cardiac catheterization laboratory at a hospital with > or = 200 patients with a myocardial infarction annually, primary angioplasty had a cost of < $30,000/QALY saved under a wide range of assumptions. However, the cost/QALY saved increased sharply under effectiveness assumptions when the hospital had < 150 patients with a myocardial infarction annually or when a redundant laboratory was built. CONCLUSIONS: At hospitals with an existing cardiac catheterization laboratory, primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction would be cost-effective relative to other medical interventions under a wide range of assumptions. The procedure's relative cost-ineffectiveness at low volumes or redundant laboratories supports regionalization of cardiac services in urban areas. However, approaches to overcoming competitive barriers and close monitoring of outcomes and costs will be needed.     

Thrombolysis in the management of acute myocardial infarction. Current status and future perspectives

The optimal thrombolytic regimen is front-loaded alteplase with vigorous heparinization: the reperfusion treatment that leads to the lowest 30 day mortality. The role of heparin alone or in combination with thrombolysis is still unclear. Hirudin does not provide benefit over heparin, as we have seen in the trials, and glycoprotein blockers are promising in PTCA. They can also be effective in unstable angina and possibly in acute myocardial infarction.     

Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction-outcome optimization methods

Early reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been shown to reduce the extent of myocardial necrosis and to improve short and long term prognosis. Gender, smoking, age and site of infarct location may be regarded as prognostic factors for the outcome of AMI and of thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase (STK). The aim of this study was to identify factors, which are related to the results of thrombolytic therapy by STK in AMI. 156 patients (122 males and 34 females) treated with STK were retrospectively analyzed: they were subdivided into 3 groups according to the presumed success of thrombolytic therapy based on the accepted clinical and angiographic TIMI flow criteria. Group 1 = successful (88 patients), group 2 = probably successful (20 patients) and group 3 = failed thrombolysis (48 patients). Multiple regression analysis showed that Killip class (p = 0.0005), time from pain onset to thrombolysis initiation (p = 0.02) and the time of the day in which thrombolysis began (p = 0.037) are independent major predictive factors for successful thrombolytic therapy by STK in AMI. Gender, age, smoking and some risk factors are not of similar predictive power. These results may guide us in the optimization of thrombolytic therapy by STK in AMI, different dose regimens for different times of day and probably preference for primary PTCA in the early morning hours.     

The prevalence of psychiatric disorders at a primary care clinic in Soweto, Johannesburg

A pilot study to assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a primary care clinic in Soweto was carried out at the Zola Community Health Centre in May 1991. Interviews were carried out by trained primary care clinic staff. The findings were reviewed and analysed by the authors. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was found to be 14.38%. Methodological problems are listed and the results are discussed.     

Abciximab in primary coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction improves short- and medium-term outcomes

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction (MI) when performed with or without the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antibody, abciximab. BACKGROUND: Abciximab improves the outcome of angioplasty but the effect of abciximab in primary angioplasty has not been investigated. METHODS: Data were collected from a computerized database. Follow-up was by telephone or review of outpatient or hospital readmission records. RESULTS: A total of 182 consecutive patients were included; 103 received abciximab and 79 did not. The procedural success rate was 95% in the two groups. At 30-day follow-up, the composite event rate of unstable angina, reinfarction, target vessel revascularization and death from all causes was 13.5% in the group of patients who did not receive abciximab, 4% (p < 0.05) in the abciximab group and 2.4% (p < 0.05) in the subgroup of patients (n = 87) who completed the 12-h abciximab infusion. At the end of follow-up (mean 7+/-4 months), the composite event rate was 32.4%, 17% (p < 0.05) and 13.1% (p < 0.01) in these three categories respectively. Abciximab bolus followed by a 12-h infusion was an independent predictor of event-free survival, in a Cox proportional hazards model (relative risk 0.49; 95% confidence interval 0.24 to 0.99; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Abciximab given at the time of primary angioplasty may improve the short- and medium-term outcome of patients with acute MI, especially when a 12-h infusion is completed.     

Incidence and prognosis of early primary cardiogenic shock in myocardial infarction

The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the results of coronary reperfusion on the incidence and short and medium term prognosis of early primary cardiogenic shock in acute myocardial infarction. Of 339 consecutive patients admitted within 6 hours of the onset of acute myocardial infarction, 25 (7.4%) had cardiogenic shock from the onset. The majority of patients (18) underwent direct angioplasty with a successful result in 16 cases. Intravenous thrombolysis was instituted in 5 cases followed by emergency coronary angiography leading to "rescue" coronary angioplasty in 3 cases, which was successful in 2 cases. Two patients had no coronary revascularisation because of a double contra-indication to thrombolysis and catheterization by the femoral approach. Intra-aortic balloon pumping was used in 17 cases. Complementary emergency surgical revascularization was necessary in 5 patients (20%). In all, early reperfusion of the infarct-related artery was obtained in 80% of cases (20 patients). The hospital mortality was 72% (18 patients) due to refractory cardiac failure in nearly all cases. After an average follow-up of 17 months, 3 of the 7 survivors of the hospital period have died and of the 4 remaining patients, 2 are in the NYHA classes III or IV. Recent therapeutic advances have not influenced the incidence of cardiogenic shock but have significantly increased the proportion of very early cardiogenic shock, whereas the late cardiogenic shocks of more progressive onset, have nearly disappeared (4/339, 1.2% in this series). The prognosis of these early shocks, caused by severe myocardial damage, remains catastrophic and hardly improved by emergency coronary reperfusion by angioplasty and intraaortic balloon pumping.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Pre-hospitalization management of evolving myocardial infarction. 2d conference of south-eastern region emergency medicine experts

Since the development of advanced adhesive technology, the use of amalgam has declined significantly. The search for amalgam substitutes, i.e., restorative materials which maintain similar clinical function and cost-effectiveness as amalgam, has so far been unsuccessful. It has also become evident that a considerable confusion prevails regarding the objectives of restorative procedures. In absence of national and international standards, the products--the restorations--are assessed according to varied criteria. In placing restorations, three objectives are attained, at most: a) tooth preservation, b) tooth preservation and function, and c) tooth preservation, function, and imperceptible restitution. The learning objective of this article is to discuss the positive effects that could be attained by defining the standards, terminology, and the quality assessment criteria for operative dentistry in regard to the patients and the dental profession.