Impact of ACIST CVi contrast delivery system on iodinated contrast media administration and waste.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in iodinated contrast media (ICM) production and produced a global product shortage in the spring of 2022. The ACIST CVi system is an automated contrast injector system approved by the FDA for multi-patient dosing of ICM from a single container. A transition from the traditional manifold system for contrast injection to the ACIST CVi automated injector system in our cardiac angiographic labs during the COVID-19 pandemic led to reductions in contrast waste and cost while limiting patient exposure to ICM.

Cangrelor Use Patterns and Transition to Oral P2Y12 Inhibitors Among Patients With Myocardial Infarction: Initial Results From the CAMEO Registry.

Background In clinical trials, cangrelor has been shown to reduce percutaneous coronary intervention-related ischemic complications without increasing major bleeding. This study was performed to examine cangrelor use and transition to oral P2Y12 inhibitors in routine clinical practice. Methods and Results The CAMEO (Cangrelor in Acute Myocardial Infarction: Effectiveness and Outcomes) registry is a multicenter, retrospective observational study of platelet inhibition strategies for patients with myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. In phase 1, data were collected on consecutive patients with myocardial infarction (n=482) treated with any P2Y12 inhibitor to understand cangrelor use by hospital. In phase 2, data were collected in a 2:1 (cangrelor-: non-cangrelor-treated) ratio of patients with myocardial infarction (n=873). In phase 1, cangrelor use varied across hospitals (overall, 50.4% [range, 6.0%-100%]). Of patients receiving cangrelor in both phases (n=819), 3.3% received either the bolus or infusion only. Cangrelor was infused for a median of 121 (76-196) minutes; and 38.3% received an infusion for <2 hours. Most patients transitioned from cangrelor to ticagrelor (ticagrelor, 85.3%; clopidogrel, 9.5%; prasugrel, 5.2%). Many patients (16.4%) had a >1-hour gap between cangrelor cessation and oral P2Y12 inhibitor initiation; this was highest among those transitioned to clopidogrel (56.6% versus 34.5% prasugrel versus 10.8% ticagrelor; P<0.001). Only 27.3% were dosed with cangrelor and transitioned to an oral P2Y12 inhibitor in a fashion consistent with the pivotal trials and US Food and Drug Administration label. Conclusions This multicenter registry demonstrated interhospital variability in how cangrelor was administered and transitioned to an oral P2Y12 inhibitor. These findings highlight opportunities for optimization of cangrelor dosing, infusion duration, and transition of care from the catheterization laboratory to the ward setting.

Safety gaps in medical team communication: Closing the loop on quality improvement efforts in the cardiac catheterization lab.

Closed-loop communication (CLC) is a fundamental aspect of effective communication, critical in the cardiac catheterization laboratory (cath lab) where physician orders are verbal. Complete CLC is typically a hospital and national mandate. Deficiencies in CLC have been shown to impair quality of care. Single center observational study, CLC for physician verbal orders in the cath lab were assessed by direct observation during a 5-year quality improvement effort. Performance feedback and educational efforts were used over this time frame to improve CLC, and the effects of each intervention assessed. Responses to verbal orders were characterized as complete (all important parameters of the order repeated, the mandated response), partial, acknowledgment only, or no response. During the first observational period of 101 cases, complete CLC occurred in 195 of 515 (38%) medication orders and 136 of 235 (50%) equipment orders. Complete CLC improved over time with various educational efforts, (p < 0.001) but in the final observation period of 117 cases, complete CLC occurred in just 259 of 328 (79%) medication orders and 439 of 581 (76%) equipment orders. Incomplete CLC was associated with medication and equipment errors. CLC of physician verbal orders was used suboptimally in this medical team setting. Baseline data indicate that physicians and staff have normalized weak, unreliable communication methods. Such lapses were associated with errors in order implementation. A subsequent 5-year quality improvement program resulted in improvement but a sizable minority of unacceptable responses. This represents an opportunity to improve patient safety in cath labs.

Preexisting frailty and outcomes in older patients with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence and prognostic impact of preexisting frailty on acute care and in-hospital outcomes in older adults in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Preexisting frailty was assessed at baseline in consecutive AMI patients ≥65 years of age treated at 778 hospitals participating in the NCDR ACTION Registry between January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2016. Three domains of preexisting frailty (cognition, ambulation, and functional independence) were abstracted from chart review and summed in 2 ways: an ACTION Frailty Scale based on responses to 6 groups adapted from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Clinical Frailty Scale and an ACTION Frailty Score derived by summing a rank score of 0-2 assigned for each grade (total ranged between 0 to 6). Multivariable logistic regression examined the association between assigned frailty by score or scale and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Among 143,722 older AMI patients, 108,059 (75.2%) were fit and/or well and 6,484 (4.5%) were vulnerable to frailty, while 7,527 (5.2%) had mild, 3,913 (2.7%) had moderate, 2,715 had (1.9%) severe, and 632 (0.4%) had very severe frailty according to the ACTION Frailty Scale, while 14,392 (10.0%) could not be categorized due to incomplete ascertainment. Frail patients were older, more frequently female, of non-white race and/or ethnicity, and less likely to be treated with guideline-recommended therapies. Increasing severity of frailty by this scale was associated with a step-wise higher risk for in-hospital mortality (P-trend < .001). Patient categories of the ACTION Frailty Score provided similar results. After adjustment, each 1-unit increase in Frailty Score was associated with a 12% higher mortality risk (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.10-1.15). CONCLUSIONS: Among older patients with acute myocardial infarction, frailty is common and independently associated with in-hospital mortality. These findings show the importance of pragmatic evaluation of frailty in hospital-level quality scores, guideline recommendations, and incorporation into other registry data collection efforts.

Sex Differences in Management and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Presenting With Cardiogenic Shock.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the sex differences in the risk profile, management, and outcomes among patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS). BACKGROUND: Contemporary clinical data regarding sex differences in the management and outcomes of AMI patients presenting with CS are scarce. METHODS: Patients admitted with AMI-CS from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain-MI registry between October 2008 to December 2017 were included. Sex differences in baseline characteristics, in-hospital management, and outcomes were compared. Patients ≥65 years of age with available linkage data to Medicare claims were included in the analysis of 1-year outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for patient and hospital-related covariates were used to estimate sex-specific differences in in-hospital and 1-year outcomes, respectively. RESULTS: Among 17,195 patients presenting with AMI-CS, 37.3% were women. Women were older, had a higher prevalence of comorbidities, and had worse renal function at presentation. Women were less likely to receive guideline-directed medical therapies within 24 hours and at discharge, undergo diagnostic angiography (85.0% vs 91.1%), or receive mechanical circulatory support (25.4% vs 33.8%). Women had higher risks of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.02-1.19) and major bleeding (adjusted OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.12-1.34). For patients ≥65 years of age, women did not have a higher risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.88-1.09) and mortality or heart failure hospitalization (adjusted HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.91-1.12) at 1 year compared with men. CONCLUSIONS: In this large nationwide analysis of patients with AMI-CS, women were less likely to receive guideline recommended care, including revascularization, and had worse in-hospital outcomes than men. At 1 year, there were no sex differences in the risk of mortality. Efforts are needed to address sex disparities in the initial care of AMI-CS patients.

Five-Year Clinical Outcomes of the COBRA Polyzene F NanoCoated Coronary Stent System.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The COBRA Polyzene F™ NanoCoated Coronary Stent System (PzF coated stent) stent demonstrated favorable clinical outcomes at 9 months but late results have not been reported. We sought to assess the late safety and effectiveness of the PzF coated stent for treatment of de novo coronary artery lesions. METHODS: Patients with de novo coronary artery lesions meeting eligibility criteria were enrolled in a non-randomized, prospective clinical trial and followed for 5 years. The primary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF, cardiac death, myocardial infarction [MI], or clinically-driven target vessel revascularization [TVR]) at 9 months. Secondary endpoints included major adverse clinical events (MACE, cardiac death, MI, or clinically driven TLR), clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) and definite or probable stent thrombosis during 5-year follow-up. Endpoints at 5 years were analyzed as cumulative incidence accounting for competing risk of death. RESULTS: Of 296 enrolled patients, 290 (98%) were evaluable at 5 years. By 5 years, MACE had occurred in 61 (21.3%), cardiac death in 11 (4.2%), MI in 25 (8.6%), and TLR in 34 (12.0%) subjects. Between follow-up years 1 and 5, a first MACE occurred in 17 (6.2%), including 10 (4.0%) cardiac death, 4 (1.6%) MI, and 7 (2.9%) TLR events. There were no definite or probable stent thromboses. CONCLUSIONS: The PzF coated stent demonstrated continued safety and effectiveness through 5 years with low to very low incident rates of MACE, MI, TLR and stent thrombosis between 1 and 5 years after stent placement.

Ten-Year Trends in Patient Characteristics, Treatments, and Outcomes in Myocardial Infarction From National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain-MI Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Chest Pain-MI registry affords a 10-year perspective of the acute myocardial infarction (MI) patient characteristics, management, and clinical outcomes in the United States. We report the changes in the treatment and cardiovascular outcomes of acute MI patients over 10 years. METHODS: Annual trends in patient characteristics, in-hospital treatment, and outcomes of 604 936 ST-segment-elevation MI (STEMI) and 933 755 non-ST-segment-elevation MI (NSTEMI) patients at 1230 hospitals from 2009 to 2018 were analyzed. Using the validated Acute Coronary Intervention and Outcomes Network mortality risk model, trends in in-hospital risk-adjusted mortality rates were tested between 2011 and 2018. RESULTS: Over 10 years, the prevalence of diabetes (22.8%-28.3% [STEMI] and 35.7%-41.3% [NSTEMI]) and atrial fibrillation (4.1%-6.1% and 9.4%-11.7%) increased, whereas the prevalence of smoking decreased (43.5%-37.9% and 30.2%-27.5%, P<0.001 for all) in patients with STEMI and NSTEMI, respectively. Among eligible patients with STEMI, primary percutaneous coronary intervention use increased (82.3%-96.0%) with shorter median first medical contact to device time (90 to 82 minutes, P<0.001). Among patients with NSTEMI, percutaneous coronary intervention use increased significantly (43.9%-54.5%, P<0.001). Adherence to guideline-directed medical therapies improved in both groups. From 2011 to 2018, risk-adjusted mortality rate (2.8%-2.7%, P=0.46) was stable in STEMI and declined significantly in patients with NSTEMI (1.9%-1.3%, P=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors of patients presenting with acute MI have changed modestly while treatment improved over time. Risk-adjusted mortality rates remained stable for patients with STEMI and declined significantly for patients with NSTEMI.

Significant Facility-Level Variation in Utilization of and Adherence with Secondary Prevention Therapies Among Patients with Premature Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Insights from the VITAL (Veterans wIth premaTure AtheroscLerosis) Registry7.

PURPOSE: We investigated facility-level variation in the use and adherence with antiplatelets and statins among patients with premature and extremely premature ASCVD. METHODS: Using the 2014-2015 nationwide Veterans wIth premaTure AtheroscLerosis (VITAL) registry, we assessed patients with premature (age at first ASCVD event: males < 55 years, females < 65 years) and extremely premature ASCVD (< 40 years). We examined frequency and facility-level variation in any statin, high-intensity statin (HIS), antiplatelet use (aspirin, clopidogrel, ticagrelor, prasugrel, and ticlopidine), and statin adherence (proportion of days covered ≥ 0.8) across 130 nationwide VA healthcare facilities. Facility-level variation was computed using median rate ratios (MRR), a measure of likelihood that two random facilities differ in use of statins or antiplatelets and statin adherence. RESULTS: Our analysis included 135,703 and 7716 patients with premature and extremely premature ASCVD, respectively. Across all facilities, the median (IQR) prescription rate of any statin therapy, HIS therapy, and antiplatelets among patients with premature ASCVD was 0.73 (0.70-0.75), 0.36 (0.32-0.41), and 0.77 (0.73-0.81), respectively. MRR (95% CI) for any statin use, HIS use, and antiplatelet use were 1.53 (1.44-1.60), 1.58 (1.49-1.66), and 1.49 (1.42-1.56), respectively, showing 53, 58, and 49% facility-level variation. The median (IQR) facility-level rate of statin adherence was 0.58 (0.55-0.62) and MRR for statin adherence was 1.13 (1.10-1.15), showing 13% facility-level variation. Similar median facility-level rates and variation were observed among patients with extremely premature ASCVD. CONCLUSIONS: There is suboptimal use and significant facility-level variation in the use of statin and antiplatelet therapy among patients with premature and extremely premature ASCVD. Interventions are needed to optimize care and minimize variation among young ASCVD patients.

Outcomes With Early Cardiac Catheterization in Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survivors and Utility of a Prognostic Scoring System.

Objectives A retrospective study in patients presenting out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) to assess the impact of early cardiac catheterization on survival and cerebral performance category (CPC) on discharge. Background The role of early coronary angiography in OHCA patients remains controversial. The cardiac arrest hospital prognosis (CAHP) scoring system has not been validated in the US population. Methods Inclusion criteria were OHCA patients with a sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), presumed cardiac cause of arrest, and elements to calculate CAHP score. We compared in-hospital mortality rates and final inpatient CPC in patients who underwent early cardiac catheterization to those with delayed or no cardiac catheterization. We assessed the performance of the CAHP score in the entire OHCA population using receiver-operator curve (ROC) analysis. Results A hundred and fifty-eight patients were included, of which 39 underwent early cardiac catheterization. The mortality rate of the early catheterization group was lower than the delayed or no catheterization group (41% vs 61.3%, p=0.02); the Early cardiac catheterization group had more favorable final hospital CPC scores overall (53.8% vs 24.3%, p<0.001). However, when risk-adjusted, there was no benefit in early catheterization for mortality or CPC level in any of the CAHP score subgroups. CAHP scores showed good discrimination with c-statistics of 0.85 for mortality and 0.90 for the CPC category. Conclusion Early use of cardiac catheterization in OHCA patients with sustained ROSC was not associated with lower mortality rates or higher rates of favorable neurologic recovery when adjusted for baseline risk factors in each of the different CAHP score-based sub-groups. This was despite a higher proportion of patients with STEMI in the early catheterization group. We demonstrated a good fit between observed outcomes and outcomes predicted by the CAHP scoring system.

Physician and Hospital Utilization of P2Y12 Inhibitors in ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in the United States: A Study From the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's Research to Practice Initiative.

Background Ticagrelor and prasugrel are potent P2Y12 inhibitors with superior efficacy compared with clopidogrel among patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), though use in recent practice is not well described. In this retrospective study, we assessed trends, predictors, and variation in use of P2Y12 inhibitors in patients with STEMI in the United States. Methods and Results We identified 169 505 STEMI patients in the Chest Pain-Myocardial Infarction Registry from October 2013 through March 2017. We determined national utilization rates of P2Y12 inhibitors at discharge, patient predictors for each medication, and variation in use between hospitals. In a subset of 9655 Medicare patients ≥65 years old, we compared 1-year adjusted risks of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and bleeding based on hospital quartile of potent P2Y12 inhibitor use. Rates of ticagrelor use increased from 18.0% to 44.0%, while rates of prasugrel and clopidogrel use decreased from 24.6% to 13.5% and 57.4% to 42.6%, respectively. Prior percutaneous coronary intervention was the strongest clinical predictor for use of ticagrelor (adjusted odds ratio, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.09-1.18]) and prasugrel (adjusted odds ratio, 1.27 [95% CI, 1.21-1.34]) compared with clopidogrel. Predictors of clopidogrel use included no insurance, insurance with Medicare or Medicaid, and features associated with higher bleeding risk. The median hospital usage rate for newer P2Y12 inhibitors was 51.3% (interquartile range, 35.0%-65.9%), with substantial variation between hospitals (adjusted median odds ratio, 2.92 [95% CI, 2.77-3.10]). Among patients ≥65 years old, there were no differences in adjusted 1-year risks of adverse outcomes across hospital quartiles of potent P2Y12 inhibitor use. Conclusions Almost one-half of STEMI patients by 2017 were discharged on ticagrelor while far fewer received prasugrel. Patient characteristics are associated with P2Y12 inhibitor selection, though substantial hospital variation exists. Identifying barriers to use of more potent P2Y12 inhibitors may improve patient-centered decision-making for STEMI patients.

Safety gaps in medical team communication: Results of quality improvement efforts in a cardiac catheterization laboratory.

OBJECTIVES: To assess closed-loop communications (readback), a fundamental aspect of effective communication, among cardiovascular teams and assess improvement efforts. BACKGROUND: Effective communication within teams is essential to assure safety and optimal outcomes. Readback of verbal physician orders is a hospital and national requirement. METHODS: Single-center observational study, where the readback responses to physician verbal orders in the catheterization laboratory were characterized over three distinct time intervals from 2015 to 2017. Performance feedback and focused education on the value of readbacks was provided to the teams in two waves, with subsequent remeasurement. Responses to verbal orders were characterized as complete (all important parameters of the order repeated for verification), partial, acknowledgement only, or no response. Changes in readback performance after quality interventions were assessed. RESULTS: During the first-observational period of 101 cases, complete readback occurred in 195 of 515 (38%) medication orders and 136 of 235 (58%) equipment orders. After initial quality improvement efforts, 102 cases were observed. In these, 298 of 480 (62%) medication orders had complete readback, and 210 of 420 (50%) equipment orders had complete readback. After additional quality improvement efforts, 168 cases were observed. In these, 506 of 723 (70%) medication orders had complete readback, and 630 of 1,061 (59%) equipment orders had complete readback. Overall, medication order readback improved over time (correlation = 0.26 [-0.30, -0.21]; p < 0.001), but equipment order readback did not (correlation = 0.02 [-0.07, 0.03]; p = 0.44). CONCLUSIONS: Closed-loop communication of physician verbal orders was used infrequently in this medical team setting and proved difficult to fully improve. This is an important safety gap.

Association of Cognitive Impairment With Treatment and Outcomes in Older Myocardial Infarction Patients: A Report From the NCDR Chest Pain-MI Registry.

Background Little is known regarding use of cardiac therapies and clinical outcomes among older myocardial infarction (MI) patients with cognitive impairment. Methods and Results Patients ≥65 years old with MI in the NCDR (National Cardiovascular Data Registry) Chest Pain-MI Registry between January 2015 and December 2016 were categorized by presence and degree of chart-documented cognitive impairment. We evaluated whether cognitive impairment was associated with all-cause in-hospital mortality after adjusting for known prognosticators. Among 43 812 ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, 3.9% had mild and 2.0% had moderate/severe cognitive impairment; among 90 904 non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI patients, 5.7% had mild and 2.6% had moderate/severe cognitive impairment. A statistically significant but numerically small difference in the use of primary percutaneous coronary intervention was observed between patients with STEMI with and without cognitive impairment (none, 92.1% versus mild, 92.8% versus moderate/severe, 90.4%; P=0.03); use of fibrinolysis was lower among patients with cognitive impairment (none, 40.9% versus mild, 27.4% versus moderate/severe, 24.2%; P<0.001). Compared with NSTEMI patients without cognitive impairment, rates of angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass grafting were significantly lower among patients with NSTEMI with mild (41%, 45%, and 70% lower, respectively) and moderate/severe cognitive impairment (71%, 74%, and 93% lower, respectively). After adjustment, compared with no cognitive impairment, presence of moderate/severe (STEMI: odds ratio, 2.2, 95% CI, 1.8-2.7; NSTEMI: odds ratio, 1.7, 95% CI, 1.4-2.0) and mild cognitive impairment (STEMI: OR, 1.3, 95% CI, 1.1-1.5; NSTEMI: odds ratio, 1.3, 95% CI, 1.2-1.5) was associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Conclusions Patients with NSTEMI with cognitive impairment are substantially less likely to receive invasive cardiac care, while patients with STEMI with cognitive impairment receive similar primary percutaneous coronary intervention but less fibrinolysis. Presence and degree of cognitive impairment was independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality. Approaching clinical decision making for older patients with MI with cognitive impairment requires further study.

Clinical Conference Proceedings: 15th Biennial International Andreas Gruentzig Society Meeting.

The International Andreas Gruentzig Society is an educational society of physicians and scientists interested in cardiovascular and related fields. Members cooperate in the advancement of knowledge and education through research, publication, study, and teaching in the fields of cardiovascular disease. This summary reflects the proceedings from the recent scientific meeting to assess current clinical problems and propose future directions and possible solutions.

Uptake of Drug-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds in Clinical Practice: An NCDR Registry to Practice Project.

Importance: Physicians have been criticized for having an overly enthusiastic response to new device approvals, especially for novel technologies. However, to our knowledge, the rates of new product adoption and patterns of new device usage in clinical practice have not been well described. Objective: To characterize the patterns of uptake of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) within the United States following device approval and to describe changes in response to subsequent releases of data and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings. Design, Setting, and Participants: This analysis of the uptake of BVS between January 2016 and June 2017 used CathPCI Registry data; all percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures with an implant of either a BVS or conventional stent were included. Data analysis was performed in October 2017. Exposures: Implant of BVS. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was monthly use of BVS in the United States. In addition, the characteristics of patients who received BVS and of hospitals that used BVS were assessed and comparisons of patient characteristics between BVS recipients and patients who were treated contemporaneously with metallic stents were made. Results: Of 682 951 procedures, 471 064 (69.0%) were done in men, 587 301 (86.0%) were among white people, and the mean (SD) age of those undergoing procedures with BVS vs conventional stents was 62.6 (11.4) years vs 65.7 (11.9) years. Of these, 4265 procedures (0.6%) used BVS overall (after FDA approval of BVS). Procedures with implants of BVS occurred among patients with fewer comorbidities and lower-acuity presentations compared with procedures with implants of conventional stents. The patient characteristics for BVS use were not dissimilar to the inclusion criteria of the ABSORB III FDA approval trial, with notable differences based on trial eligibility (eg, excluding patients with myocardial infarctions). The maximum monthly use of BVS was 1.25% of all PCI procedures that occurred 90 days after FDA approval, but with site-to-site variability. Declines in use were observed coincident with the scientific presentation of adverse event data as well as FDA warnings. Conclusions and Relevance: Most US physicians and hospitals were selective in their use of BVS, primarily using them in patients similar to those in the device's FDA approval trial. In addition, declines in use were evident in the subsequent month following the release of data that reported negative outcomes. These results illustrate an example of an appropriate physician response to adverse data updates and FDA warnings.

Thinking Machines and Risk Assessment: On the Path to Precision Medicine.

See Article by Al'Aref et al.

Association of State Medicaid Expansion With Quality of Care and Outcomes for Low-Income Patients Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Importance: Lack of insurance is associated with worse care and outcomes among adults hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is unclear whether states' decision to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2014 were associated with improved quality of care and outcomes among low-income patients hospitalized with AMI. Objective: To investigate whether rates of uninsurance, quality of care, and outcomes changed among patients hospitalized for AMI 3 years after states elected to expand Medicaid compared with nonexpansion states. Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective cohort study completed at hospitals participating in National Cardiovascular Data Registry Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry. Participants were patients younger than 65 years hospitalized for AMI from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016. Exposures: State Medicaid expansion in 2014. Main Outcomes and Measures: Rates of uninsured and Medicaid-insured hospitalizations for AMI in states that expanded Medicaid vs those that did not. Comparison of in-hospital care quality, procedure use, and mortality between expansion and nonexpansion states for the years prior to and after Medicaid expansion. Hierarchical logistic regressions models were used to assess the association between Medicaid expansion and outcomes. Results: The initial cohort included 325 343 patients. Uninsured AMI hospitalizations declined in expansion states (18.0% [4395 of 24 358 hospitalizations] to 8.4% [2638 of 31 382 hospitalizations]) and more modestly in nonexpansion states (25.6% [7963 of 31 137 hospitalizations] to 21.1% [8668 of 41 120 hospitalizations]) from 2012 to 2016 (P < .001 difference in trend expansion vs nonexpansion). Medicaid coverage increased from 7.5% (1818 of 24 358 hospitalizations) to 14.4% (4502 of 31 382 hospitalizations) in expansion states and 6.2% (1924 of 31 137 hospitalizations) to 6.6% (2717 of 41 120 hospitalizations) in nonexpansion states (P < .001). The low-income cohort included 55 737 patients across 765 sites. In expansion states, low-income adults' odds of receipt of defect-free care increased (76.3% to 75.9%, adjusted odds ratio 1.11; 95% CI, 1.02-1.21) but to a lesser degree than in nonexpansion states (72.8% to 74.5%, adjusted odds ratio, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.30-1.47; P for interaction < .001). There was no change in use of most procedures (ie, percutaneous coronary intervention for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) in expansion compared with nonexpansion states. Improvement in in-hospital mortality was similar between expansion and nonexpansion states (3.2% to 2.8%, adjusted odds ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.77-1.12 vs 3.3% to 3.0%, adjusted odds ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-0.99; P for interaction = .48). Conclusions and Relevance: Medicaid expansion was associated with a significant reduction in rates of uninsurance among patients hospitalized with AMI. Quality of care and outcomes did not improve among low-income adults in expansion compared with nonexpansion states. Hospital care for AMI may be less sensitive to insurance than has been recognized in the past.

Inadequacy of Pulse Oximetry in the Catheterization Laboratory. An Exploratory Study Monitoring Respiratory Status Using Arterial Blood Gases during Cardiac Catheterization with Conscious Sedation.

BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepines and opioids are commonly used for conscious sedation (CS) in cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) patients. Both drugs are known to predispose to hypoxemia, apnea and decreased responsiveness to PCO2, resulting in decreased arterial pH and PO2, as well as increased PCO2. We want to determine the effects of CS on arterial blood gas (ABG) in CCL patient, and identify if pulse oximetry monitoring is adequate. METHODS: We enrolled 18 subjects undergoing elective catheterization. Measurement of ABGs at one-minute intervals was done from the moment of arterial access until case end. The results of ABGs were not available to the clinician who administered sedation. Relationships of pH, PCO2, PaO2 and SaO2 were studied by plotting time series graphs. Significant changes were defined as pH <7.30, SaO2 < 90, and PCO2 > 50 mmHg. RESULTS: No significant change in pH, PCO2, PaO2 and SaO2 was noted in 4/18 (22%) subjects. A significant drop in SaO2 was noted in 4/18 (22%). A significant change in PCO2 and/or pH was noted in 10/18 (55%) cases. Among the 16 (16/18) subjects receiving supplemental oxygen, 7 (7/18, 39%) had no drop in SaO2, but developed respiratory acidosis. At the end of the case, 5/18 (28%) subjects had respiratory acidosis with normal PaO2. CONCLUSION: Significant hypercarbia and acidosis occurred frequently in this small study during CS in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Relying on pulse oximetry alone especially with patients on supplemental oxygen may lead to failure in detecting respiratory acidosis in a significant number of patients.