Evaluation of the atrial fibrillation better care pathway in the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trial.

Aims: The Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway is endorsed by guidelines to improve care of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, whether the benefit of ABC pathway-concordant care is consistent across anticoagulants remains unclear. We assessed the association between ABC-concordant care and outcomes in this post hoc analysis from the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trial, which was reported prior to the initial description of the ABC pathway.

Meta-Analysis of Intraocular Bleeding With Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Using P2Y12 Inhibitors Prasugrel or Ticagrelor.

Intraocular bleeding is a devastating clinical event due to its potentially blinding nature. It is not known if determine if dual antiplatelet therapy using aspirin and potent P2Y12 inhibitors increases this risk. We searched MEDLINE and ClinicalTrials.

Relation between time of symptom onset of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and patient baseline characteristics: from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry.

Background: The presence of a morning excess of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has been observed. The relation between patient characteristics and timing of STEMI may provide insight into the biological processes responsible for this phenomenon.

Hypothesis: Patient baseline characteristics will vary with timing of STEMI.

Comparative cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve medication adherence after myocardial infarction.

Objective: To evaluate the comparative cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve adherence to evidence-based medications among postmyocardial infarction (MI) patients.

Data Sources/study Setting: Cost-effectiveness analysis.

Study Design: We developed a Markov model simulating a hypothetical cohort of 65-year-old post-MI patients who were prescribed secondary prevention medications.

Predicting a late positive serum troponin in initially troponin-negative patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome: clinical predictors and validated risk score results from the TIMI IIIB and GUSTO IIA studies.

Background: Troponin testing is useful for evaluating patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE ACS); however, a significant percentage of patients are troponin negative at presentation and develop late rise of the marker.

Methods: Patients in the TIMI IIIB study were assessed with respect to their troponin I (TnI) status at presentation and 12 hours. Multivariable analysis identified independent clinical factors associated with TnI rise at 12 hours among subjects initially TnI negative.

Angiographic and clinical outcomes associated with direct versus conventional stenting among patients treated with fibrinolytic therapy for ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction.

The present study reports outcomes of direct stenting versus conventional stenting, which was performed during adjunctive/rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (n = 556) in the Integrilin and Tenecteplase in Acute Myocardial Infarction trial, the Enoxaparin as Adjunctive Antithrombin Therapy for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 23 trial, and the Fibrinolytic and Aggrastat ST-Elevation Resolution trial of fibrinolytic therapy in ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Direct stenting was associated with a lower rate of death, myocardial infarction, or congestive heart failure during hospitalization and at 30 days and was independently associated with improved in-hospital outcomes (odds ratio 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.