Impact of Emergency Medical Services Activation of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and a 24-Hour/Day In-Hospital Interventional Cardiology Team on Treatment Times (Door to Balloon and Medical Contact to Balloon) for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

The incremental benefit of emergency medical services (EMS) activation of the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the setting of an established in-house interventional team (IHIT) is uncertain. We evaluated the impact of EMS activation on door-to-balloon (D2B) time and first medical contact-to-balloon (FMC2B) time for STEMI when coupled with a 24-hour/day IHIT. All patients presenting with STEMI to Loyola University Medical Center had demographic, procedural, and outcome data consecutively entered in a STEMI Data Registry. From 223 consecutive patients presenting between April 2009 and December 2015, a retrospective analysis was performed on 190 patients. Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on CCL activation mode (EMS activation or emergency department activation) and STEMI treatment process times were compared. The primary end point was D2B process times. The secondary end point was FMC2B process times in a subgroup analysis of EMS-transported patients. D2B times were shorter (37 ± 14 minutes vs 57 ± 27 minutes, p < 0.001) with EMS activation. Subgroup analysis of EMS-transported patients demonstrated shorter FMC2B times with EMS activation (52 ± 17 minutes vs 67 ± 32 minutes, p = 0.002). EMS activation was the only predictor of D2B ≤60 minutes in multivariable analysis of EMS-transported patients (odds ratio 9.4; 95% confidence interval 2.1 to 43.0; p = 0.04). In conclusion, EMS activation of the CCL in STEMI was associated with significant improvements in already excellent D2B and FMC2B times even in the setting of a 24-hour/day IHIT.

Comparison of primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction during and prior to availability of an in-house STEMI system: early experience and intermediate outcomes of the HARRT program for achieving routine D2B times <60 minutes.

BACKGROUND: Over the last decade, significant advances in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) workflow have resulted in most hospitals reporting door-to-balloon (D2B) times within the 90 min standard. Few programs have been enacted to systematically attempt to achieve routine D2B within 60 min. We sought to determine whether 24-hr in-house catheterization laboratory coverage via an In-House Interventional Team Program (IHIT) could achieve D2B times below 60 min for STEMI and to compare the results to the standard primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) approach. METHODS: An IHIT program was established consisting of an attending interventional cardiologist, and a catheterization laboratory team present in-hospital 24 hr/day. For all consecutive STEMI patients, we compared the standard primary PCI approach during the two years prior to the program (group A) to the initial 20 months of the IHIT program (group B), and repeated this analysis for only CMS-reportable patients. The D2B process was analyzed by calculating workflow intervals. The primary endpoint was D2B process times, and secondary endpoints included in-hospital and 6-month cardiovascular outcomes and resource utilization. RESULTS: An IHIT program for STEMI resulted in significant reductions across all treatment intervals with an overall 57% reduction in D2B time, and an absolute reduction in mean D2B time of 71 min. There were no differences pre- and post-program implementation in regard to individual or composite components of in-hospital cardiovascular outcomes; however at 6 months, there was a reduction in cardiovascular rehospitalization after program implementation (30 vs. 5%, P < 0.01). The IHIT program resulted in a significant reduction in length-of-stay (LOS) (90 ± 102 vs. 197 ± 303 hr, P = 0.02), and critical care time (54 ± 97 vs. 149 ± 299 hr, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Availability of an in-house 24-hr STEMI team significantly decreased reperfusion time and led to improved clinical outcomes and a shorter LOS for PCI-treated STEMI patients.

Important considerations when applying for a postdoctoral fellowship.

PURPOSE: To examine important decision points that graduates should consider before applying for a postdoctoral fellowship. METHODS: A literature review was performed. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: A synthesis of the present data on the postdoctoral fellowship, eligibility criteria, application process, and important considerations was provided. Experiential knowledge from four present postdoctoral fellows was included. The goals, advantages, and disadvantages of the fellowship were discussed. In conclusion, the postdoctoral fellowship was examined to offer important considerations in the decision to pursue this opportunity. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The clinical relevance of this article is related to the training and education of nurses to become the next generation of independent, successful scholars and scientists. Postdoctoral training adds valuable contributions and quality to the field of nursing.

Changing illness perceptions and adherence to dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with stable coronary disease.

BACKGROUND: Platelet inhibition with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is an important component of medical management in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Dual antiplatelet therapy nonadherence is associated with increased mortality. Little is known about illness perceptions (IPs) surrounding the use of antiplatelet medications and whether they differ in stable CAD patients treated with medical and/or interventional approaches. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine temporal changes in IP scores for patients with stable CAD and examine the influence of clinical and demographic variables, IP, and depressive symptoms on adherence to DAPT. METHODS: Patients (n = 180, 71.7% men; mean [SD] age, 65.1 [8.3] years) were recruited after coronary angiography and optimal medical therapy (OMT) (n = 90) or after percutaneous coronary intervention with initiation of OMT (n = 90). The Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were administered at baseline and 30 days after treatment, with a response rate of 52.8% (n = 95) at 30 days. Adherence to DAPT (aspirin and thienopyridine) at 30 days was collected using a health history update. RESULTS: Patients with stable CAD experienced shifts in IP within the first 30 days after treatment. Patients treated with OMT demonstrated increased symptoms after treatment (timeline cyclical) and reduced beliefs in the level of control provided by their prescribed regimen (treatment control, t = 3.26, P = .002). Both groups demonstrated an increase in perceived understanding of illness (illness coherence subscale) from baseline to 30 days (percutaneous coronary intervention/OMT, t = -4.43, P < .001; OMT, t = -3.74, P = .001). Chronic IPs were associated with 5.7% increased odds for improved adherence to thienopyridine agents (B = 0.509, P = .009, Exp(B) = 1.66) and 5.6% increased odds for aspirin use (B = 0.265, P = .031, Exp(B) = 1.30). Depressive symptoms were predictive of adherence for thienopyridine medications (B = 0.509, P = .009, Exp(B) = 1.66). CONCLUSIONS: Illness perceptions influence adherence to DAPT in patients with stable CAD. Understanding patterns in IP after treatment may help identify the best strategies to promote a tailored approach for improving adherence to DAPT.

Implementing clinical research in the high acuity setting of the emergency department.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical research in the emergency department provides supporting evidence needed for the development of practice guidelines, such as door-to-needle and door-to-balloon times for treatment of acute coronary syndromes, and is vital to improvements in patient outcomes. The purpose of this article is to describe barriers and lessons learned in launching a multisite clinical research study of symptoms of acute coronary syndromes in the emergency department. METHODS: Participants included ED and research staff in 4 busy emergency departments in 3 states. At each step of the study launch, the principal investigator at the clinical site identified barriers that either were anticipated or experienced and discussed them with the site staff and study principal investigator to validate the issue as a barrier. Orientation sessions and ongoing communication between clinicians, research staff, and the research study team provided opportunity for adjustment of study protocols. RESULTS: Barriers were lack of staff engagement in research, difficulty identifying eligible patients, perception of interference in clinical care, variability in research staff education and training, patient refusals, nurses' perceptions of lack of time, undifferentiated patients, and time-sensitive quality improvement indicators necessitating acceleration in care. DISCUSSION: Important strategies to overcome barriers were developed, including identification and support of unit champions in emergency nursing and medicine; minor protocol modifications to improve enrollment goals; development of specific written expectations, roles, research protocols, and algorithms; and sharing successes among sites.

Quality improvement in the door-to-balloon times for ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients presenting without chest pain.

OBJECTIVE: To assess a quality improvement initiative aimed at minimizing door-to-balloon (DTB) times for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients presenting without chest pain. BACKGROUND: Timely percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the cornerstone of STEMI care. The absence of chest pain delays PCI. Improvements in DTB times may need to focus on atypical presentation patients. METHODS: We compared DTB times on all STEMI patients admitted through the emergency department who underwent PCI before (Phase I; October 2004-June 2007) and after (Phase II; July 2007-October 2009) the quality improvement effort, which mandated rapid electrocardiogram (ECG) triage for an expanded list of presenting symptoms. RESULTS: In Phase I (69 patient, 60 with chest pain), patients with chest pain had a shorter mean time to first ECG (ECG Interval) by 32.0 min (P < 0.01) and nonsignificantly faster mean DTB time by 42.0 min (P = 0.07) compared to patients who presented without chest pain. In Phase II (62 patients, 56 with chest pain) compared to Phase I, mean ECG interval decreased by 44 min (P = 0.02) and mean DTB time by 99 min (P = 0.01) in patients without chest pain, eliminating the differences in ECG intervals between typical and atypical presentations (12 min vs. 11 min, P = 0.91). Multivariable analysis controlling for on/off hours and patient characteristics confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS: A simple modification of emergency room ECG triage protocol, which expands indications for rapid ECG performance, was successful in improving rapid reperfusion for patients with STEMI presenting without chest pain.

Psychometric properties of three instruments to measure fatigue with myocardial infarction.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of three questionnaires to measure fatigue with myocardial infarction. The Fatigue Symptom Inventory Interference Scale, Profile of Moods States Fatigue subscale (POMS-F), and Short Form 36 (SF-36) Vitality Scale were completed during hospitalization (n = 116) and 30 days after hospital admission (n = 49). Moderate to strong correlations were found among each of these fatigue scales and between each fatigue scale and measures of other variables to include vigor, depressed mood, anxiety, and physical functioning. POMS-F scores decreased significantly at Time 2, but this decline in fatigue was not validated on the other fatigue scales. Patients' Time 1 scores reflected significantly more fatigue compared to published scores for healthy adults. The ability to discriminate between groups suggests that the instruments may be useful for identifying patients with cardiovascular risk factors who report clinically significant fatigue.

Gender differences in fatigue associated with acute myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION: Fatigue is a symptom of acute myocardial infarction (AMI); however, few studies have characterized the fatigue associated with AMI in men and women. METHODS: The convenience sample included 88 men and 28 women admitted with a diagnosis of AMI at 6 Midwestern facilities. Data were collected upon hospital admission and 30 days after discharge. A total of 37 men and 10 women responded to the 30-day questionnaires. The Profile of Mood States Fatigue (POMS-F) subscale was used to measure fatigue and the Depression-Dejection subscale to measure depressed mood. RESULTS: At baseline, significant gender differences were found, with women more likely to have higher POMS-F scores (15.80, SD = 7.33) than men (11.19, SD = 7.04, P = .004). Significant gender differences were also found at 30 days (t = 2.40, df = 45, P = .02). POMS-F scores for women were higher at baseline, with decreased fatigue levels 30 days after discharge (t = 5.36, df = 9, P < or = .05). No differences were found in POMS-F scores for men (t = 1.26, df = 36, P = .213) between baseline and 30 days after discharge. Fatigue was associated with depressed mood and gender at baseline (R(2) = 0.48, P < .05) and 30 days after discharge (R(2) = 0.308, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, fatigue at baseline and at 30 days after discharge was associated with gender and depressed mood. Women reported high levels of fatigue with AMI and lower fatigue after discharge. Men reported moderate to high fatigue levels, which did not change over time. Further research is needed to discern fatigue patterns before and after AMI.

Clinical benefits of drug-eluting stents: results from RAVEL and beyond.

Drug-eluting stents have revolutionized interventional cardiology by incorporating drug and device therapy to reduce rates of restenosis. Early trials have addressed the safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents. Recent studies have evaluated the use of drug-eluting stents in high-risk populations that were not initially randomized in the early trials. These stents have shown promising outcomes in diabetes, in-stent restenosis, and multivessel disease. The clinical benefits of these stents have been systematically quantified across multiple trials; however, there is a growing debate regarding restenosis and late-stent thrombosis after implantation. Given the expanding indications for drug-eluting stents, the American Heart Association identified it as one of the Top 10 Research Advances for 2005. The purpose of this article is to summarize the current debate surrounding late-stent thrombosis, examine the evidence from leading stent trials, and outline the clinical benefits of drug-eluting stents.