Heart Attack Performance Measures
A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when one or more regions of the heart muscle experience a severe or prolonged decrease in oxygen supply caused by blocked blood flow to the heart muscle.
The following graph shows how MUSC performed on 6 key measures related to care for patients being treated for a heart attack. Each measure represents what percentage of the time patients received the recommended care, so a higher score represents better performance. The numbers reported are from July - September 2012.
Appropriate Care Measure
Heart Attack
Aspirin at Arrival
Aspirin Prescribed at Discharge
ACEI or ARB for LVSD
Adult Smoking Cessation Advice/Counseling
Beta Blocker Prescribed at Discharge
PCI received within 90 minutes of hospital arrival
Where to go for more information:
- Heart and Vascular Center
- Listen to Heart and Vascular Health audio podcasts
- Watch Heart and Vascular Health videos
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients without aspirin contraindications who received aspirin within 24 hours before or after hospital arrival. The early use of aspirin in patients with acute myocardial infarction results in a significant reduction in adverse events and subsequent mortality. *
Aspirin Prescribed at Discharge
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients without aspirin contraindications who are prescribed aspirin at hospital discharge. Aspirin therapy in patients who have suffered an acute myocardial infarction reduces the risk of adverse events and mortality. Studies have demonstrated that aspirin can reduce this risk by 20% and national guidelines strongly recommend long-term aspirin for the secondary prevention of subsequent cardiovascular events in eligible older patients discharged after AMI. *
ACE inhibitors and ARBs are medications used to treat heart attacks, and if taken within 24 hours of heart attack symptoms, they greatly reduce the risk of death. The left ventricle is the portion of the heart that pumps blood to all of the body's other vital organs. ACE inhibitors or ARBs given to patients who exhibit heart attack symptoms are especially effective in protecting the heart and other vital organs when patients suffer from left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) - an error in the function of the heart's left ventricle. *
Adult Smoking Cessation Advice/Counseling
Heart attack patients with a history of smoking cigarettes, who are given smoking cessation advice or counseling during hospital stay. For the purposes of this measure, a smoker is defined as someone who has smoked cigarettes anytime during the year prior to hospital arrival. Smoking cessation reduces mortality and morbidity in all populations. Patients who receive even brief smoking-cessation advice from their care providers are more likely to quit. *
Beta Blocker Prescribed at Discharge
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients without beta-blocker contraindications who are prescribed a beta-blocker at hospital discharge. The use of beta-blockers for patients who have suffered an acute myocardial infarction can reduce mortality and morbidity. Studies have demonstrated that the use of beta-blockers is associated with about a 20% reduction in this risk and there is evidence of effectiveness in broad populations of patients with AMI. *
PCI received within 90 minutes of hospital arrival
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during the hospital stay with a time from hospital arrival to PCI of 90 minutes or less. The early use of primary angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction who present with ST-segment elevation or LBBB results in a significant reduction in mortality and morbidity. *
*Source: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Joint Commission "Specification Manual for National Hospital Quality Measures."