Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF DISCHARGE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROMES IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Aneena Devassy K.*, Chaithra S., Adipudi Supriya, Bivin Wilson, S. Sengottuvelu, T. Sivakumar

ABSTRACT

A prospective observational study was conducted in Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Departments of a tertiary care hospital in south India for a period of 6 months. The aim of the study was to compare the discharge prescription for patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes in a tertiary care hospital with standard American College of Cardiology /American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines recommended discharge regimen. Of 200 patients analyzed, 86% were males and 14% were females. About 63% were STEMI patients, 22.5% were NSTEMI patients and 14.5% were unstable angina patients. The prescribing frequency of aspirin, dual antiplatelets, statins, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEIs/ARBs), beta blockers and nitrates was 79%, 72.5%, 97%, 86%, 91% and 33.8% respectively. We also assessed whether the patients received counseling for disease state (68%), lifestyle modifications (84.5%), discharge medications (28%) from the health care providers and evaluated the patient perception towards cardiac medications obtained at discharge using a patient perception questionnaire. Factors associated with improper discharge prescribing were also analyzed. Our study shows that patients who received optimal discharge medical care were only 49.5%.

Keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; ST elevation myocardial infarction; Non ST elevation myocardial infarction; Unstable angina; American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines.