Training general practitioners to improve evidence-based drug treatment of patients with heart failure: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

AIMS: To assess whether a single training session for general practitioners (GPs) improves the evidence-based drug treatment of heart failure (HF) patients, especially of those with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS AND RESULTS: A cluster randomised controlled trial was performed for which patients with established HF were eligible. Primary care practices (PCPs) were randomised to care-as-usual or to the intervention group in which GPs received a half-day training session on HF management. Changes in HF medication, health status, hospitalisation and survival were compared between the two groups. Fifteen PCPs with 200 HF patients were randomised to the intervention group and 15 PCPs with 198 HF patients to the control group. Mean age was 76.9 (SD 10.8) years; 52.5% were female. On average, the patients had been diagnosed with HF 3.0 (SD 3.0) years previously. In total, 204 had HFrEF and 194 HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In participants with HFrEF, the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers decreased in 6 months in both groups [5.2%; (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-10.0)] and 5.6% (95% CI 2.8-13.4)], respectively [baseline-corrected odds ratio (OR) 1.07 (95% CI 0.55-2.08)], while beta-blocker use increased in both groups by 5.2% (95% CI 2.0-10.0) and 1.1% (95% CI 0.2-6.3), respectively [baseline-corrected OR 0.82 (95% CI 0.42-1.61)]. For health status, hospitalisations or survival after 12-28 months there were no significant differences between the two groups, also not when separately analysed for HFrEF and HFpEF. CONCLUSION: A half-day training session for GPs does not improve drug treatment of HF in patients with established HF.

[No advantage to referring patients with acute myocardial infarction from a general hospital to an intervention clinic for percutaneous coronary intervention; comparison of mortality rates in 2000 and 2003 in the Meander Medical Centre, Amersfoort]. / Geen voordeel voor patiënten met een acuut myocardinfarct die vanuit een algemeen ziekenhuis verwezen werden naar een interventiecentrum voor dotterbehandeling; vergelijking van mortaliteitscijfers van 2000 en 2003 in het meander medisch centrum, amersfoort.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether implementation of the 2000 Netherlands Society of Cardiology guideline 'ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes', which recommends the use ofpercutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), has reduced mortality and complication rates in a general hospital, and whether patient characteristics and outcomes are comparable to those reported in the Assessment of the Safety and Efficacy of a New Thrombolytic (ASSENT) 2 and 3 trials. DESIGN: Retrospective outcomes study. METHOD: Data from 2003 were compared with data from 2000 regarding patients with acute myocardial infarction who received thrombolysis at the Meander Medical Centre in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) after referral to an intervention clinic. Data included baseline characteristics, type of treatment, outcomes and complications. Age, sex and mortality ofall patients were compared to data from the ASSENT 2 and 3 trials. RESULTS: Data were included from 130/132 patients treated in 2003 and 145/145 patients treated in 2000. Baseline characteristics were comparable, except age: there were significant more elderly patients in 2003 (p = 0.006). After implementation of the guideline, significantly more patients underwent PTCA (odds ratio (OR) 4.41 (95% CI: 2.51-7.75)). After adjusting for confounding factors there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 1.11 (95% CI: 0.48-2.60)), 30-day mortality and 1-year mortality. Significantly more minor complications were reported (OR 2.58 (95% CI: 1.07-6.19)). Significantly more women and patients older than 75 years were treated compared with the ASSENT 2 and 3 trials. The 30-day mortality rate was significantly higher compared with ASSENT 2 (OR 1.60 (95% CI: 1.07-2.41)) and ASSENT 3 (OR1.74 (95% CI: 1.14-2.66)). CONCLUSION: The implementation of new guidelines 'ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes' did not result in lower mortality or fewer complications.

Field study of the prevalence of lameness in horses with back problems.

A population of 805 horses (70 per cent dressage, 20 per cent show jumpers and 10 per cent trotters) with orthopaedic problems was examined for signs of lameness and back problems, irrespective of their original complaints. In the horses with a back problem the prevalence of lameness was 74 per cent, and back problems were diagnosed in 32 per cent of the lame horses. These percentages were significantly higher than those recorded in a control population of 399 horses, of which 20 per cent were lame and 12 per cent had back problems. In the group of horses with orthopaedic problems there was a strong association between lameness and back problems and, in particular, there was a high prevalence of lameness among the horses with back problems.

Initial clinical experience with rate adaptive cardiac pacing using two sensors simultaneously.

UNLABELLED: In the rate adaptive pacemakers, all presently available sensors show one or more drawbacks. Combining two sensors in a single pacemaker, we tried to optimize its rate responsive characteristics. In this study, we present the rate adaptive behavior of a two sensor pacemaker system, using both QT interval and activity sensing. In addition, we compared the rate response with that of each sensor alone. Nine patients with an implanted QT interval sensing pacemaker, and an externally attached activity sensing pacemaker performed three exercise stress tests on treadmill. The QT interval, measured by the implanted pacemaker, and the activity level, were transmitted to an external computer. This computer contained the two sensor rate adaptive algorithm, and reprogrammed the implanted pacemaker on beat-to-beat basis. CONCLUSION: In the two sensor mode the rate increases immediately at the onset of exercise, caused by the prompt response of the activity sensor. Further rate increase is driven by the QT interval sensor and therefore proportional to the level of exercise. Furthermore, the rate decay during the recovery phase is more physiological.