The use of antithrombotic therapies in the prevention and treatment of arterial and venous thrombosis: a survey of current knowledge and practice supporting the need for clinical education.

Arterial and venous thrombosis are serious health threats. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), acute coronary syndromes (ACS), and venous thromboembolism (VTE) can reduce their risk of thrombosis through proper anticoagulation. Multiple evidence-based guidelines exist regarding the proper use of antithrombotic therapy, yet previous studies have shown the prevalence of inconsistent practices with respect to guideline recommendations.

Physician practice patterns in acute coronary syndromes: an initial report of an individual quality improvement program.

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association guidelines are the nationally accepted standards for the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndromes. Despite this recognition, adherence to guideline recommendations remains suboptimal with 25% of opportunities to provide guideline appropriate care missed. To address performance gaps related to acute coronary syndrome care and improve patient outcomes, a performance improvement (PI) initiative was designed for cardiologists and emergency department physicians.

Individual quality improvement in acute coronary syndromes: a performance improvement initiative.

Although treatment guidelines from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have been published and widely accepted, barriers to the optimal management of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) still exist. Adherence to guidelines has been correlated with improvements in patient outcomes in ACS, including reduced mortality, yet data demonstrate that 25% of opportunities to provide guideline-recommended care are missed. This article describes a performance improvement (PI) initiative designed to address gaps in process-related ACS care and improve patient outcomes.