American heart journal
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American heart journal · Jul 2008
Comparative StudyDo specialty cardiac hospitals have greater adherence to acute myocardial infarction and heart failure process measures? An empirical assessment using Medicare quality measures: quality of care in cardiac specialty hospitals.
Supporters of specialty hospitals claim these facilities provide better patient care; however, empirical data on quality of care in specialty hospitals are limited. ⋯ Quality of care in specialty cardiac hospitals is similar to quality in competing general hospitals and top-ranked cardiac care hospitals, as measured by compliance with AMI and HF performance indicators. Quality of care appears to be slightly better for top-ranked cardiac hospitals as compared to general hospitals, but the overall performance of all hospitals is high.
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American heart journal · Jul 2008
Impact of do-not-resuscitation orders on quality of care performance measures in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure.
Heart failure (HF) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among Americans. Despite increased interest in end-of-life care, the implications of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders in acutely ill patients with HF remain unclear. The goals of this observational study were to describe the use of DNR orders and their impact on treatment approaches in residents of a large New England metropolitan area hospitalized with acute heart failure. ⋯ The use of quality assurance measures in acute HF is markedly lower in patients with DNR orders. The implications of DNR orders need to be further clarified in the treatment of patients with acute HF.
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American heart journal · Jul 2008
Chronic atrial fibrillation: Incidence, prevalence, and prediction of stroke using the Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age >75, Diabetes mellitus, and prior Stroke or transient ischemic attack (CHADS2) risk stratification scheme.
The aim of the study is to estimate the incidence and prevalence of chronic AF (cAF) in the United Kingdom and test the accuracy of the CHADS2 score for stroke prediction. ⋯ Atrial fibrillation is a prevalent and growing problem, which significantly increases the risk of ischemic stroke. The CHADS2 score is a good predictor of the stroke risk but could be improved.