Seasonal Variations in Hospital Admissions for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Increased numbers of ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) admissions have been observed during winter in many countries. Our aim was to assess if seasonal variation of STEMI was present in the Waikato region of New Zealand. METHODS: Case notes of patients admitted to Waikato hospital with STEMI between July 1998 and December 2007 were analysed. The incidence of STEMI during summer (December to February), autumn (March to May), winter (June to August) and spring (September to November) were calculated. The individuals were divided into 2 age groups of ≤ 70 and > 70 years of age. RESULTS: A total of 3,569 patients (mean age 66.9 ± 14.1 years, 64% men) were included. STEMI presentation during winter was significantly higher compared with summer (35 ± 13 versus 27.3 ± 11.3 cases per month, P < 0.02) with 3 additional STEMI admissions per fortnight during winter months. The increase in STEMI in winter was more apparent in patients > 70 years of age, with an 8.5% increase in winter admissions compared to summer (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the incidence of STEMI between other seasons. CONCLUSION: There is a higher incidence of STEMI during winter in the Waikato region compared with summer. This increased incidence is particularly pronounced in patients over 70 years of age. Further investigations are necessary to elicit potential causes.

Management of unstable angina and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction: do cardiologists do it better? A comparison of secondary and tertiary centre management in New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Internationally, differences have been noted in how specialist cardiologists and general physicians manage acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Whether a similar practice difference exists in New Zealand is unclear. AIM: To test the hypothesis that management differences exist between cardiologists and general physicians in patients presenting with a non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome in a New Zealand setting-and whether these differences (if present) impact on patient outcome. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 324 consecutive patients presenting with a non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome to Taranaki Base and Waikato Hospitals from 1 January 1999 was undertaken. Patients in Taranaki were managed by general physicians and in Waikato they were managed by cardiologists. RESULTS: Patients presenting to Taranaki Base Hospital were more likely to have high-risk ECG changes with ST-segment depression noted in 34.4% of patients there compared to 16.8% of patients in Waikato (p<0.001). Medical management during patient stabilisation was similar in Taranaki and Waikato with high use of anti-thrombotic (89%) and anti-platelet therapy (94%), respectively. However angiography (5.1% versus 23.4%; p=0.0045) and revascularisation procedures (4% versus 16.7%; p=0.0002) were performed less frequently in Taranaki. No significant difference was noted in mortality at 6 months (9.6% in Waikato versus 13.4% in Taranaki; p=0.4) Readmission rates were also similar; occurring overall in approximately one-quarter of the study population. CONCLUSION: In New Zealand, differences exist in how cardiologists and general physicians manage non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome. In particular, the low referral rates for angiography by general physicians is of concern and requires correction as current best-practice guidelines suggest high-risk patients are disadvantaged by a conservative approach to management.

Stress Echocardiography: A Review of the Principles and Practice.

Stress echocardiography, both pharmacologic and physiological, is an established noninvasive diagnostic method of detecting coronary artery disease. It also has a role in the assessment of patients with chest pain, the assessment of cardiovascular risk before noncardiac surgery, the assessment of patients after a myocardial infarction, the detection of viability in dysfunctional myocardium, and the prediction of functional recovery. The prognostic value of stress echocardiography is emerging. In this article, we discuss the methodology, diagnostic accuracy, and various clinical applications of stress echocardiography. We also review its limitations and compared it with other noninvasive methods of assessing patients with coronary artery disease.