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Objective: To compare the clinical presentation, risk factors and outcomes of young patients (≤45 years) presenting with ST segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with older STEMI patients in the Tamil Nadu STEMI program (TN-STEMI)., Methods: A total of 2,420 patients were enrolled in the TN-STEMI program, which is a pre-implementation and post-implementation quality of care study. The cohort of patients was divided into young STEMI patients (≤45 years) and compared with those aged >45 years., Results: A total of 591(24.4%) patients in this cohort were aged ≤45 years; 92.5% of the young STEMI were males. Smoking was the most common risk factor and its use was significantly more in younger myocardial infarction (MI) patients than in older patients (57% vs 31%; p<0.001). Compared with their older counterparts, younger patients had a lower prevalence of hypertension (14.2% vs 28.3%; p<0.001) and diabetes mellitus (13.2% vs 29.7%; p<0.001). Total ischaemic time was shorter for younger patients (235 vs 255 mins; p=0.03). Young STEMI patients more frequently presented with single vessel disease and the left anterior descending coronary artery was the most common infarct-related artery; they also had a higher thrombus load. Young MI patients had reduced mortality, both in-hospital (3.4% vs 6.4%; p=0.005) and at one year (7.6% vs 17.6%; p<0.001). Younger male STEMI patients also showed lower mortality than younger female patients., Conclusions: Young STEMI patients compared with older STEMI patients had lower prevalence of traditional risk factors, shorter ischaemic time and reduced mortality. Young female STEMI patients had higher mortality than young male STEMI patients., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background We systematically reviewed trials comparing different reperfusion strategies for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and used multivariate network meta-analysis to compare outcomes across these strategies. Methods and Results We identified 31 contemporary trials in which patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction were randomized to ≥2 of the following strategies: fibrinolytic therapy (n=4212), primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (n=6139), or fibrinolysis followed by routine early PCI (n=5006). We categorized the last approach as "facilitated PCI" when the median time interval between fibrinolysis to PCI was <2 hours (n=2259) and as a "pharmacoinvasive approach" when this interval was ≥2 hours (n=2747). We evaluated outcomes of death, nonfatal reinfarction, stroke, and major bleeding using a multivariate network meta-analysis and a Bayesian analysis. Among the strategies evaluated, primary PCI was associated with the lowest risk of mortality, nonfatal reinfarction, and stroke. For mortality, primary PCI had an odds ratio of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.61-0.89) when compared with fibrinolytic therapy. Of the remaining strategies, the pharmacoinvasive approach was the next most favorable with an odds ratio for death of 0.79 (95% CI, 0.59-1.08) compared with fibrinolytic therapy. The Bayesian model indicated that when the 2 strategies examining routine early invasive therapy following fibrinolysis were directly compared, the probability of adverse outcomes was lower for the pharmacoinvasive approach relative to facilitated PCI. Conclusions A pharmacoinvasive approach is safer and more effective than facilitated PCI and fibrinolytic therapy alone. This has significant implications for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction care in settings where timely access to primary PCI, the preferred treatment for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, is not available.

The TN STEMI Program was a multicenter, prospective, observational study conducted in Tamil Nadu, India, that assessed the effects of implementing the STEMI India Model for the management of STEMI. We discuss the economic and societal impact in this article. Given that the intervention resulted in an absolute mortality reduction of 3.4%, we calculated a number needed to treat of 30 patients. At an annualized project cost of INR 15.11 million, this approximately calculates to INR 193,749 (USD 3,311) per life saved. The utility of the TN-STEMI Program can be estimated to be 1,108 life-years. This calculates to approximately INR 13,643 (USD 233) per life-year saved. Our estimates will likely be of particular interest to policy makers in low and middle-income countries, where financial and resource constraints pose a perennial public health challenge., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright: © 2019 The Author(s).)

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a common and expensive procedure that has become a target for bundled payment initiatives. We described the magnitude and determinants of variation in 90-day PCI episode payments across a diverse array of patients and hospitals., Methods and Results: We linked clinical registry data from PCIs performed at 33 Michigan hospitals to 90-day episodes of care constructed using Medicare fee-for-service and commercial insurance claims from January 2012 to October 2016. Payments were price standardized and risk adjusted using clinical and administrative variables in an observed-over-expected framework. Hospitals were stratified into quartiles based on average episode payments. Payment components between the highest and the lowest quartiles were compared with identified drivers of variation (ie, index hospitalization/procedure, readmissions, postacute care, and professional fees). Among 40 925 90-day PCI episodes, the average risk-adjusted 90-day episode payment by hospital ranged between $22 154 and $27 205 with a median of $24 696 (interquartile range, $24 190-$25 643). Hospitals in the lowest and the highest quartiles had average episode payments of $23 744 and $26 504, respectively (difference, $2760). Readmission payments were the primary driver of this variation (46.2%), followed by postacute care (22.6%). Readmissions remained the primary driver of variation in key subgroups, including inpatient and outpatient PCI, as well as PCI for acute myocardial infarction and nonacute myocardial infarction indications., Conclusions: Substantial hospital-level variation exists in 90-day PCI episode payments. Over half the variation between high- and low-payment hospitals was related to care after the index procedure, primarily because of readmissions and postacute care. Hospitals and policymakers should consider targeting these components when developing initiatives to reduce PCI-related spending.

Background: Assessments of healthcare value have largely focused on measuring outcomes of care at a given level of cost with less attention paid to appropriateness. However, understanding how appropriateness relates to outcomes and costs is essential to determining healthcare value., Methods and Results: In a retrospective cohort study design, administrative data from fee-for-service Medicare patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Michigan hospitals between June 30, 2010, and December 31, 2014, were linked with clinical data from a statewide PCI registry to calculate hospital-level measures of (1) appropriate use criteria scores, (2) 90-day risk-standardized readmission and mortality rates, and (3) 90-day risk-standardized episode costs. We then used Spearman correlation coefficients to assess the relationship between these measures. A total of 29 839 PCIs were performed at 33 PCI hospitals during the study period. A total of 13.3% were for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, 25.0% for non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, 47.1% for unstable angina, 9.8% for stable angina, and 4.7% for other. The overall hospital-level mean appropriate use criteria score was 8.4±0.2. Ninety-day risk-standardized readmission occurred in 23.7%±3.7% of cases, 90-day risk-standardized mortality in 4.3%±0.6%, and mean risk-standardized episode costs were $26 159±$1074. Hospital-level appropriate use criteria scores did not correlate with 90-day readmission, mortality, or episode costs., Conclusions: Among Medicare patients undergoing PCI in Michigan, we found hospital-level appropriate use criteria scores did not correlate with 90-day readmission, mortality, or episode costs. This finding suggests that a comprehensive understanding of healthcare value requires multidimensional consideration of appropriateness, outcomes, and costs., (© 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Background: Early success with regionalization of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care has led many states to adopt statewide prehospital STEMI hospital destination policies, allowing emergency medical services to bypass non-percutaneous coronary intervention-capable hospitals. The association between adoption of these policies and patterns of care among STEMI patients is unknown., Methods and Results: Using data from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014, from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry and Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry, 6 states with bypass policies (cases included Delaware, Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts) were matched to 6 states without bypass policies (controls included South Carolina, Minnesota, Virginia, Texas, New York, and Connecticut) a priori on region, hospital density, and percent state participation in the registry. Using the matched sample, logistic regression models were adjusted for patient- and state-level characteristics. Outcomes were receipt of reperfusion and receipt of timely percutaneous coronary intervention. Our study cohort included 19 287 patients at 379 sites across 12 states. Patients from states with hospital destination policies were similar in age, sex, and comorbidities to patients from states without such policies. After adjustment for patient- and state-level characteristics, 57.9% (95% confidence intervals, 53.2%-62.5%) of patients living in states with hospital destination policies when compared with 47.5% (95% confidence intervals, 43.4%-51.7%) living in states without hospital destination policies received primary percutaneous coronary intervention within their relevant guideline-recommended time from first medical contact., Conclusions: Statewide adoption of STEMI hospital destination policies allowing emergency medical services to bypass non-percutaneous coronary intervention-capable facilities is associated with significantly faster treatment times for patients with STEMI., (© 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Background: The association of short-term readmissions after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on healthcare costs has not been well studied., Methods and Results: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Readmission Database encompassing 722 US hospitals was used to identify index PCI cases in patients ≥18 years old. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine the factors associated with risk of 30-day readmission and higher cumulative costs. We evaluated 206 869 hospitalized patients who survived to discharge after PCI from January through November 2013 and analyzed readmissions over 30 days after discharge. A total of 24 889 patients (12%) were readmitted within 30 days, with rates ranging from 6% to 17% across hospitals. Among the readmitted patients, 13% had PCI, 2% had coronary artery bypass surgery, and 3% died during the readmission. The most common reasons for readmission included nonspecific chest pain/angina (24%) and heart failure (11%). Mean cumulative costs were higher for those with readmissions ($39 634 versus $22 058; P <0.001). The multivariable analyses showed that readmission increased the log 10 cumulative costs by 45% (β: 0.445; P <0.001). There was no significant difference in cumulative costs by the type of insurance., Conclusions: In a national sample of inpatient PCI cases, 30-day readmissions were associated with a significant increase in cumulative costs. The majority of readmissions were because of low-risk chest pain that did not require any intervention. Ongoing effort is warranted to recognize and mitigate potentially preventable post-PCI readmissions., (© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Importance: Current comparative outcomes among black and white patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system are not known., Objective: To compare outcomes between black and white patients undergoing PCI in the VA health system., Design, Setting, and Participants: This study compared black and white patients who underwent PCI between October 1, 2007, and September 30, 2013, at 63 VA hospitals using data recorded in the VA Clinical Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking System for Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories (CART-CL) program. A generalized linear mixed model with a random intercept for site assessed the relative difference in odds of outcomes between black and white patients. The setting was integrated institutionalized hospital care. Excluded were all patients of other races or those with multiple listed races and those with missing data regarding race or the diagnostic cardiac catheterization. The dates of analysis were January 7, 2016, to April 17, 2017., Exposure: Percutaneous coronary intervention at a VA hospital., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was 1-year mortality. Secondary outcomes were 30-day all-cause readmission rates, 30-day acute kidney injury, 30-day blood transfusion, and 1-year readmission rates for myocardial infarction. In addition, variations in procedural and postprocedural care were examined, including the use of intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, fractional flow reserve measurements, bare-metal stents, postprocedural medications, and radial access., Results: A total of 42 391 patients (13.3% black and 98.4% male; mean [SD] age, 65.2 [9.1] years) satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In unadjusted analyses, black patients had higher rates of 1-year mortality (7.1% vs 5.9%, P < .001) as well as secondary outcomes of 30-day acute kidney injury (20.8% vs 13.8%, P < .001), 30-day blood transfusion (3.4% vs 2.7%, P < .01), and 1-year readmission rates for myocardial infarction (3.3% vs 2.7%, P = .01) compared with white patients. After adjustment for demographics, comorbidities, and procedural characteristics, odds for 1-year mortality (odds ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.90-1.19) were not different between black and white patients. There were also no differences in secondary outcomes with the exception of a higher rate of adjusted 30-day acute kidney injury (odds ratio, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.10-1.36)., Conclusions and Relevance: While black patients had a higher rate of mortality than white patients in unadjusted analyses, race was not independently associated with 1-year mortality among patients undergoing PCI in VA hospitals.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the contemporary incidence of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) and the success rates of CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), as well as the complications and long-term outcomes of these patients., Background: The contemporary prevalence and management of coronary CTOs is understudied., Methods: Consecutive veterans undergoing coronary angiography at 79 Veterans Affairs sites between 2007 and 2013 were examined. Detailed baseline clinical, angiographic, and follow-up outcomes were evaluated using national data from the Veterans Affairs Clinical Assessment Reporting and Tracking program., Results: Among 111,273 patients with obstructive coronary artery disease, 29,399 (26.4%) had ≥1 CTO, most commonly in the right coronary artery distribution (n = 18,986 [64.6%]). Elective CTO PCI was attempted in 2,394 patients (8.1%), with a procedural success rate of 79.7%. The odds of CTO PCI success increased over the years of the study (odds ratio: 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.16; p = 0.03). Compared with failed CTO PCI, successful CTO PCI was associated with a decreased adjusted risk for mortality (hazard ratio: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.95; p = 0.02) and coronary artery bypass graft surgery (hazard ratio: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.24; p < 0.01) at 2 years but no significant change in the risk for hospitalization for myocardial infarction (hazard ratio: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.58 to 1.36; p = 0.58)., Conclusions: Approximately 1 in 4 patients with obstructive coronary artery disease on coronary angiography had CTOs. Among patients who went on to elective CTO PCI, the success rate was 79.7%. Compared with failed CTO PCI, successful CTO PCI was associated with a decreased risk for mortality as well as a decreased need for subsequent coronary artery bypass graft surgery., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Importance: Challenges to improving ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care are formidable in low- to middle-income countries because of several system-level factors., Objective: To examine access to reperfusion and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during STEMI using a hub-and-spoke model., Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, prospective, observational study of a quality improvement program studied 2420 patients 20 years or older with symptoms or signs consistent with STEMI at primary care clinics, small hospitals, and PCI hospitals in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India. Data were collected from the 4 clusters before implementation of the program (preimplementation data). We required a minimum of 12 weeks for the preimplementation data with the period extending from August 7, 2012, through January 5, 2013. The program was then implemented in a sequential manner across the 4 clusters, and data were collected in the same manner (postimplementation data) from June 12, 2013, through June 24, 2014, for a mean 32-week period., Exposures: Creation of an integrated, regional quality improvement program that linked the 35 spoke health care centers to the 4 large PCI hub hospitals and leveraged recent developments in public health insurance schemes, emergency medical services, and health information technology., Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes focused on the proportion of patients undergoing reperfusion, timely reperfusion, and postfibrinolysis angiography and PCI. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital and 1-year mortality., Results: A total of 2420 patients with STEMI (2034 men [84.0%] and 386 women [16.0%]; mean [SD] age, 54.7 [12.2] years) (898 in the preimplementation phase and 1522 in the postimplementation phase) were enrolled, with 1053 patients (43.5%) from the spoke health care centers. Missing data were common for systolic blood pressure (213 [8.8%]), heart rate (223 [9.2%]), and anterior MI location (279 [11.5%]). Overall reperfusion use and times to reperfusion were similar (795 [88.5%] vs 1372 [90.1%]; P = .21). Coronary angiography (314 [35.0%] vs 925 [60.8%]; P < .001) and PCI (265 [29.5%] vs 707 [46.5%]; P < .001) were more commonly performed during the postimplementation phase. In-hospital mortality was not different (52 [5.8%] vs 85 [5.6%]; P = .83), but 1-year mortality was lower in the postimplementation phase (134 [17.6%] vs 179 [14.2%]; P = .04), and this difference remained consistent after multivariable adjustment (adjusted odds ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.58-0.98; P = .04)., Conclusions and Relevance: A hub-and-spoke model in South India improved STEMI care through greater use of PCI and may improve 1-year mortality. This model may serve as an example for developing STEMI systems of care in other low- to middle-income countries.

Background: The Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement recently proposed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-specific process measures. However, information about hospital performance on these measures and the association of PCI process and outcomes measures are not available., Methods and Results: We linked the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) CathPCI Registry with Medicare claims data to assess hospital performance on established PCI process measures (aspirin, thienopyridines, and statins on discharge; door-to-balloon time; and referral to cardiac rehabilitation), newly proposed PCI process measures (documentation of contrast dose, glomerular filtration rate, and PCI indication; appropriate indication for elective PCI; and use of embolic protection device), and a composite of all process measures. We calculated weighted pair-wise correlations between each set of process metrics and performed weighted correlation analyses to assess the association between composite measure performance with corresponding 30-day risk-standardized mortality and readmission rates. We reported the variance in risk-standardized 30-day outcome rates explained by process measures. We analyzed 1 268 860 PCIs from 1331 hospitals. For many process measures, median hospital performance exceeded 90%. We found strong correlations between medication-specific process measures ( P <0.01) and weak correlations between hospital performance on the newly proposed and established process measures. The composite process measure explained only 1.3% and 2.0% of the observed variation in mortality and readmission rates, respectively., Conclusions: Hospital performance on many PCI-specific process measures demonstrated little opportunity for improvement and explained only a small percentage of hospital variation in 30-day outcomes. Efforts to measure and improve hospital quality for PCI patients should focus on both process and outcome measures., (© 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.)

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) remains a common complication after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and is associated with adverse in-hospital patient outcomes. The incidence of adverse events after hospital discharge in patients having post-PCI AKI is poorly defined, and the relationship between AKI and outcomes after hospital discharge remains understudied., Methods and Results: Using the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI registry, we assessed the incidence of AKI among Medicare beneficiaries after PCI from 2004 to 2009 and subsequent post-discharge adverse events at 1 year. AKI was defined using Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria. Adverse events included death, myocardial infarction, bleeding, and recurrent kidney injury. Using Cox methods, we determined the relationship between in-hospital AKI and risk of post-discharge adverse events by AKIN stage. In a cohort of 453 475 elderly patients undergoing PCI, 39 850 developed AKI (8.8% overall; AKIN stage 1, 85.8%; AKIN 2/3, 14.2%). Compared with no AKI, in-hospital AKI was associated with higher post-discharge hazard of death, myocardial infarction, or bleeding (AKIN 1: hazard ratio [HR], 1.53; confidence interval [CI], 1.49-1.56 and AKIN 2/3: HR, 2.13; CI, 2.01-2.26), recurrent AKI (AKIN 1: HR, 1.70; CI, 1.64-1.76; AKIN 2/3: HR, 2.22; CI, 2.04-2.41), and AKI requiring dialysis (AKIN 1: HR, 2.59; CI, 2.29-2.92; AKIN 2/3: HR, 4.73; CI, 3.73-5.99). For each outcome, the highest incidence was within 30 days., Conclusions: Post-PCI AKI is associated with increased risk of death, myocardial infarction, bleeding, and recurrent renal injury after discharge. Post-PCI AKI should be recognized as a significant risk factor not only for in-hospital adverse events but also after hospital discharge., (© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Importance: Appropriate Use Criteria for Coronary Revascularization were developed to critically evaluate and improve patient selection for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). National trends in the appropriateness of PCI have not been examined., Objective: To examine trends in PCI utilization, patient selection, and procedural appropriateness following the introduction of Appropriate Use Criteria., Design, Setting, and Participants: Multicenter, longitudinal, cross-sectional analysis of patients undergoing PCI between July 1, 2009, and December 31, 2014, at hospitals continuously participating in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI registry over the study period., Main Outcomes and Measures: Proportion of nonacute PCIs classified as inappropriate at the patient and hospital level using the 2012 Appropriate Use Criteria for Coronary Revascularization., Results: A total of 2.7 million PCI procedures from 766 hospitals were included. Annual PCI volume of acute indications was consistent over the study period (377,540 in 2010; 374,543 in 2014), but the volume of nonacute PCIs decreased from 89,704 in 2010 to 59,375 in 2014. Among patients undergoing nonacute PCI, there were significant increases in angina severity (Canadian Cardiovascular Society grade III/IV angina, 15.8% in 2010 and 38.4% in 2014), use of antianginal medications prior to PCI (at least 2 antianginal medications, 22.3% in 2010 and 35.1% in 2014), and high-risk findings on noninvasive testing (22.2% in 2010 and 33.2% in 2014) (P < .001 for all), but only modest increases in multivessel coronary artery disease (43.7% in 2010 and 47.5% in 2014, P < .001). The proportion of nonacute PCIs classified as inappropriate decreased from 26.2% (95% CI, 25.8%-26.6%) to 13.3% (95% CI, 13.1%-13.6%), and the absolute number of inappropriate PCIs decreased from 21,781 to 7921. Hospital-level variation in the proportion of PCIs classified as inappropriate persisted over the study period (median, 12.6% [interquartile range, 5.9%-22.9%] in 2014)., Conclusions and Relevance: Since the publication of the Appropriate Use Criteria for Coronary Revascularization in 2009, there have been significant reductions in the volume of nonacute PCI. The proportion of nonacute PCIs classified as inappropriate has declined, although hospital-level variation in inappropriate PCI persists.

Background: The value of American Board of Internal Medicine certification has been questioned. We evaluated the Association of Interventional Cardiology certification with in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 2010., Methods and Results: We identified physicians who performed ≥10 PCIs in 2010 in the CathPCI Registry and determined interventional cardiology (ICARD) certification status using American Board of Internal Medicine data. We compared in-hospital outcomes of patients treated by certified and noncertified physicians using hierarchical multivariable models adjusted for differences in patient characteristics and PCI volume. Primary end points were all-cause in-hospital mortality and bleeding complications. Secondary end points included emergency coronary artery bypass grafting, vascular complications, and a composite of any adverse outcome. With 510,708 PCI procedures performed by 5175 physicians, case mix and unadjusted outcomes were similar among certified and noncertified physicians. The adjusted risks of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.19) and emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.56) were higher in the non-ICARD-certified group, but the risks of bleeding and vascular complications and the composite end point were not statistically significantly different between groups., Conclusions: We did not observe a consistent association between ICARD certification and the outcomes of PCI procedures. Although there was a significantly higher risk of mortality and emergency coronary artery bypass grafting in patients treated by non-ICARD-certified physicians, the risks of vascular complications and bleeding were similar. Our findings suggest that ICARD certification status alone is not a strong predictor of patient outcomes and indicate a need to enhance the value of subspecialty certification., (© 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Background: Substantial geographic variation exists in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) use across the United States. It is unclear the extent to which high PCI utilization can be explained by PCI for inappropriate indications. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between PCI rates across regional healthcare markets utilizing hospital referral regions (HRRs) and PCI appropriateness., Methods: The number of PCI procedures in each HRR was obtained from the 2010 100% Medicare limited data set. HRRs were divided into quintiles of PCI utilization with increasing rates of utilization progressing to quintile 5. NCDR CathPCI Registry® data were used to evaluate patient characteristics, appropriate use criteria (AUC), and outcomes across the HRR quintiles defined by PCI utilization with the study population restricted to HRRs where ≥ 80% of the PCIs were performed at institutions participating in the registry. PCI appropriateness was defined using 2012 AUC by the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA)/The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI)., Results: Our study cohort comprised of 380,981 patients treated at 178 HRRs. Mean PCI rates per 1,000 increased from 4.6 in Quintile 1 to 10.8 in Quintile 5. The proportion of non-acute PCIs was 27.7% in Quintile 1 increasing to 30.7% in Quintile 5. Significant variation (p < 0.001) existed across the quintiles in the categorization of appropriateness across HRRs of utilization with more appropriate PCI in lower utilization areas (Appropriate: Q1, 76.53%, Q2, 75.326%, Q3, 75.23%, Q4, 73.95%, Q5, 72.768%; Inappropriate: Q1 3.92%, Q2 4.23%, Q3 4.32%, Q4 4.35%, Q5 4.05%; Uncertain: Q1 8.29%, Q2 8.84%, Q3 8.08%, Q4 9.01%, Q5 8.93%; Not Mappable: Q1 11.26%, Q2 11.67%, Q3 12.37%, Q4 12.69%, Q5 14.34%). There was no difference in risk-adjusted mortality across quintiles of PCI utilization., Conclusions: Geographic regions with lower PCI rates have a higher proportion of PCIs performed for appropriate indications. Areas that perform more PCIs also appear to perform more elective PCI and many could not be mapped by the AUC.

Establishing the validity of appropriate use criteria (AUC) for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the setting of stable ischemic heart disease can support their adoption for quality improvement. We conducted a post hoc analysis of 2,287 Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation trial patients with stable ischemic heart disease randomized to PCI with optimal medical therapy (OMT) or OMT alone. Within appropriateness categories, we compared rates of death, myocardial infarction, revascularization subsequent to initial therapy, and angina-specific health status as determined by the Seattle Angina Questionnaire in patients randomized to PCI + OMT to those randomized to OMT alone. A total of 1,987 patients (87.9%) were mapped to the 2012 publication of the AUC, with 1,334 (67.1%) classified as appropriate, 551 (27.7%) uncertain, and 102 (5.1%) as inappropriate. There were no significant differences between PCI and OMT alone in the rate of mortality and myocardial infarction by appropriateness classification. Rates of revascularization were significantly lower in patients initially receiving PCI + OMT who were classified as appropriate (hazard ratio 0.65; 95% confidence interval 0.53 to 0.80; p <0.001) or uncertain (hazard ratio 0.49; 95% confidence interval 0.32 to 0.76; p = 0.001). Furthermore, among patients classified as appropriate by the AUC, Seattle Angina Questionnaire scores at 1 month were better in the PCI-treated group compared with the medical therapy group (80 ± 23 vs 75 ± 24 for angina frequency, 73 ± 24 vs 68 ± 24 for physical limitations, and 68 ± 23 vs 60 ± 24 for quality of life; all p <0.01), with differences generally persisting through 12 months. In contrast, health status scores were similar throughout the first year of follow-up in PCI + OMT patients compared with OMT alone in patients classified as uncertain or inappropriate. In conclusion, these findings support the validity of the AUC in efforts to improve health care quality through optimal use of PCI., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased mortality but both death and AKI share common risk factors. Moreover, the effect of a high contrast dose, a known modifiable risk factor for AKI, on mortality is unknown. The aim of our study was to analyze the association between AKI and in-hospital mortality post PCI after adjustment for confounding by common risk factors., Methods and Results: This study was performed using a regional registry of all patients undergoing PCI in Michigan. Primary end points were AKI (serum creatinine increase >0.5 mg/dL) and all-cause in-hospital mortality. Propensity matching was performed, with each AKI patient matched to 4 controls. Attributable risk fraction and the exposed index number of AKI for mortality were calculated within the propensity-matched cohort. Between 2010 and 2013, 92 317 patients underwent PCI, of whom 2141 (2.3%) developed AKI. We matched 1371/2141 patients with AKI to 5484 controls. AKI was strongly associated with mortality (odds ratio=12.52, 95% confidence interval 9.29-16.86) in the propensity-matched cohort. The attributable risk fraction for mortality of AKI was 31.4% (95% confidence interval 26.8%-37.5%), and one death could be prevented for every 9 cases of AKI successfully avoided. The independent impact of a high contrast dose at time of PCI on in-hospital mortality risk was weak (adjusted odds ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval 0.97-1.45)., Conclusions: Nearly one-third of the in-hospital mortality post PCI is attributable to AKI. Preventing 9 cases of AKI could potentially prevent one death. These study findings stress the need for developing effective AKI preventive strategies beyond minimization of contrast dose., (© 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Background: In patients with cardiogenic shock, data on the comparative safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DESs) vs. bare metal stents (BMSs) are lacking. We sought to assess the performance of DESs compared with BMSs among patients with cardiogenic shock undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Methods: Out of 236 patients with acute coronary syndromes complicated by cardiogenic shock, 203 were included in the final analysis. The primary endpoint included death, and the secondary endpoint of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) included the composite of death, myocardial infarction, any repeat revascularization and stroke. Patients were followed for a minimum of 30 days and up to 4 years. As stent assignment was not random, we performed a propensity score analysis to minimize potential bias., Results: Among patients treated with DESs, there was a lower risk of the primary and secondary endpoints compared with BMSs at 30 days (29 vs. 56%, P < 0.001; 34 vs. 58%, P = 0.001, respectively) and during long-term follow-up [hazard ratio 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29-0.65, P < 0.001; hazard ratio 0.49, 95% CI 0.34-0.71, P < 0.001, respectively]. After propensity score adjustment, all-cause mortality was reduced among patients treated with DESs compared with BMSs both at 30 days [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.26, 95% CI 0.11-0.62; P = 0.002] and during long-term follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.22-0.72; P = 0.002). The rate of MACCE was lower among patients treated with DESs compared with those treated with BMSs at 30 days (adjusted OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.95; P = 0.036). The difference in MACCEs between devices approached significance during long-term follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.34-1.01; P = 0.052)., Conclusion: DESs appear to be associated with improved clinical outcomes, including a reduction in all-cause mortality compared with BMSs among patients undergoing PCI for cardiogenic shock, possibly because of a pacification of the infarct-related artery by anti-inflammatory drug. The results of this observational study require confirmation in an appropriately powered randomized trial.

Background: Revascularization decisions can profoundly impact patient survival, quality of life, and procedural risk. Although use of Heart Teams to make revascularization decisions is growing, data on their implementation in the real-world are limited. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of Heart Teams and their association with collaboration in routine practice., Methods: A survey of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons at 31 hospitals in Michigan was performed in May, 2011--prior to the recommendation for using Heart Teams in national guidelines. This survey included all percutaneous coronary intervention-performing hospitals in Michigan participating in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium and Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons Quality Collaborative. It targeted both the use of Heart Teams and multidisciplinary Case Conferences., Results: There were 53 physician survey respondents from 27 hospitals with 4 hospitals not responding. Among respondents, 11 (40.7%) hospitals reported no Heart Teams or Case Conferences while 7 (25.9%) hospitals reported either a Heart Team or Case Conference. However, there was disagreement about the presence of a Heart Team at seven hospitals, and about Case Conferences at nine hospitals. Hospitals with definite Heart Teams reported significantly greater levels of collaboration between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons., Conclusion: The overall presence of Heart Teams prior to their recommendation in national guidelines was limited. Even among hospitals with a potential Heart Team, there was substantial disagreement between respondents about their presence. Further refinement of the definition of a Heart Team and measures of successful implementation are needed.

Background: Stenosis of saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is common and often requires percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for treatment. However, data for the effectiveness of drug-eluting stents (DES) versus bare-metal stents (BMS) in SVG-PCI are unclear., Objectives: This study sought to examine the association between DES versus BMS used during SVG PCI and clinical outcomes in the national Veterans Affairs integrated healthcare system., Methods: We studied a national cohort of 2,471 post-CABG veterans undergoing SVG-PCI between 2008 and 2011 at all Veterans Affairs hospitals and compared clinical outcomes of between those receiving DES and BMS. Clinical outcomes included procedural complications, myocardial infarction (MI), and all-cause mortality. Comparisons were made in a propensity-matched cohort using Cox proportional hazards regression models., Results: DES were used in 1,549 SVG-PCI patients (63%) and the use of DES increased progressively with each calendar year (50% in 2008 to 69% in 2011). Incidence of procedural complications was low and comparable in both groups (2.8% among BMS vs. 2.3% among DES patients; p = 0.54). During long-term (>2 years) follow-up, use of DES was associated with lower mortality than BMS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.57 to 0.89) and similar rates of MI (HR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.24) in the propensity-matched cohort., Conclusions: In a national cohort of veterans, we observed widespread and increasing use of DES during SVG-PCI. In long-term follow-up, compared with BMS, DES use was safe and effective in SVG-PCI patients., (Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Diagnostic coronary angiography in asymptomatic patients may lead to inappropriate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) due to a diagnostic-therapeutic cascade. Understanding the association between patient selection for coronary angiography and PCI appropriateness may inform strategies to minimize inappropriate procedures., Objective: To determine if hospitals that frequently perform coronary angiography in asymptomatic patients, a clinical scenario in which the benefit of angiography is less clear, are more likely to perform inappropriate PCI., Design, Setting, and Participants: Multicenter observational study of 544 hospitals participating in the CathPCI Registry between July 1, 2009, and September 30, 2013., Main Outcomes and Measures: Hospital proportion of asymptomatic patients at diagnostic coronary angiography and hospital rate of inappropriate PCI as defined by 2012 appropriate use criteria for coronary revascularization., Results: Of 1 225 562 patients who underwent elective coronary angiography, 308 083 (25.1%) were asymptomatic. The hospital proportion of angiography among asymptomatic patients ranged from 1.0% to 73.6% (median, 24.7%; interquartile range, 15.9%-35.9%). By hospital quartile of asymptomatic patients at angiography, hospitals with higher rates of asymptomatic patients at angiography had higher median rates of inappropriate PCI (14.8% vs 20.2% vs 24.0 vs 29.4% from lowest to highest quartile, P < .001 for trend). This outcome was attributable to more frequent use of inappropriate PCI in asymptomatic patients at hospitals with higher rates of angiography in asymptomatic patients (5.4% vs 9.9% vs 14.7% vs 21.6% from lowest to highest quartile, P < .001 for trend). Hospitals with higher rates of asymptomatic patients at angiography also had lower rates of appropriate PCI (38.7% vs 33.0% vs 32.3% vs 32.9% from lowest to highest quartile, P < .001 for trend)., Conclusions and Relevance: In a national sample of hospitals, performance of coronary angiography in asymptomatic patients was associated with higher rates of inappropriate PCI and lower rates of appropriate PCI. Improving preprocedural risk stratification and thresholds for coronary angiography may be one strategy to improve the appropriateness of PCI.

Background: Recently, it has been suggested that the type of stent used in primary percutaneous coronary interventions (pPCI) might impact upon the outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Indeed, drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce neointimal hyperplasia compared to bare-metal stents (BMS). Moreover, the later generation DES, due to its biocompatible polymer coatings and stent design, allows for greater deliverability, improved endothelial healing and therefore less restenosis and thrombus generation. However, data on the safety and performance of DES in large cohorts of AMI is still limited., Aim: To compare the early outcome of DES vs. BMS in AMI patients., Methods: This was a prospective, multicentre analysis containing patients from 64 hospitals in Switzerland with AMI undergoing pPCI between 2005 and 2013. The primary endpoint was in-hospital all-cause death, whereas the secondary endpoint included a composite measure of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) of death, reinfarction, and cerebrovascular event., Results: Of 20,464 patients with a primary diagnosis of AMI and enrolled to the AMIS Plus registry, 15,026 were referred for pPCI and 13,442 received stent implantation. 10,094 patients were implanted with DES and 2,260 with BMS. The overall in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients with DES compared to those with BMS implantation (2.6% vs. 7.1%,p < 0.001). The overall in-hospital MACCE after DES was similarly lower compared to BMS (3.5% vs. 7.6%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for all confounding covariables, DES remained an independent predictor for lower in-hospital mortality (OR 0.51,95% CI 0.40-0.67, p < 0.001). Since groups differed as regards to baseline characteristics and pharmacological treatment, we performed a propensity score matching (PSM) to limit potential biases. Even after the PSM, DES implantation remained independently associated with a reduced risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.39-0.76, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: In unselected patients from a nationwide, real-world cohort, we found DES, compared to BMS, was associated with lower in-hospital mortality and MACCE. The identification of optimal treatment strategies of patients with AMI needs further randomised evaluation; however, our findings suggest a potential benefit with DES.

Objectives: This study sought to examine whether rates of inappropriate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) differ by demographic characteristics and insurance status., Background: Prior studies have found that blacks, women, and those who have public or no health insurance are less likely to undergo PCI. Whether this reflects potential overuse in whites, men, and privately insured patients, in addition to underuse in disadvantaged populations, is unknown., Methods: Within the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry, we identified 221,254 nonacute PCIs performed between July 2009 and March 2011. The appropriateness of PCI was determined using the Appropriate Use Criteria for coronary revascularization. Multivariable hierarchical regression was used to evaluate the association between patient demographics and insurance status and inappropriate PCI, as defined by the Appropriate Use Criteria., Results: Of 211,254 nonacute PCIs, 25,749 (12.2%) were classified as inappropriate. After multivariable adjustment, men (adjusted odd ratio [OR]: 1.08 [95% CI: 1.05 to 1.11]; p < 0.001) and whites (adjusted OR: 1.09 [95% CI: 1.05 to 1.14]; p < 0.001) were more likely to undergo an inappropriate PCI in comparison with women and nonwhites. Compared with privately insured patients, those who had Medicare (adjusted OR: 0.85 [95% CI: 0.83 to 0.88]), other public insurance (adjusted OR: 0.78 [95% CI: 0.73 to 0.83]), and no insurance (adjusted OR: 0.56 [95% CI: 0.50 to 0.61]) were less likely to undergo an inappropriate PCI (p < 0.001). In addition, compared with urban hospitals, those admitted at rural hospitals were less likely to undergo inappropriate PCI, whereas those at suburban hospitals were more likely., Conclusions: For nonacute indications, PCIs categorized as inappropriate were more commonly performed in men, whites, and those who had private insurance. Higher rates of PCI in these patient populations may, in part, be due to procedural overuse., (Copyright © 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Identifying the distributions and determinants of fluoroscopy time for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Background: ICA and PCI are significant contributors to radiation exposure from medical imaging in the US. Fluoroscopy time is a potentially modifiable determinant of radiation exposure for these procedures, but has not been well characterized in contemporary practice., Methods: We evaluated the distribution of fluoroscopy time in patients undergoing ICA and/or PCI in the CathPCI Registry(®) , stratifying patients by numerous clinical scenarios. Hierarchical models were used to determine patient, procedure, operator and hospital-level factors associated with fluoroscopy time for these procedures., Results: Our study included a total of 3,295,348 ICA and PCI procedures performed by 9,600 operators from January 2005 through June 2009. There was wide variation in fluoroscopy times for these procedures with median [IQR] fluoroscopy times of 2.6 [1.7-4.5] minutes for ICA, 6.7 [4.2-10.8] minutes for ICA in patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 10.1 [6.0-17.4] minutes for PCI, 10.7 [7.0-16.9] minutes for PCI with ICA, and 16.0 [10.6-24.0] minutes for PCI and ICA in patients with prior CABG. Prolonged fluoroscopy times (>30 minutes) were rare for ICA, but occurred in 6.7% of PCIs and 14.7% of PCIs in patients with prior CABG. After accounting for patient characteristics and procedure complexity, operator and hospital-level factors explained nearly 20% of the variation in fluoroscopy time., Conclusions: Fluoroscopy times vary widely during ICA and PCI with operator and hospital-level factors contributing substantially to these differences. A better understanding of potentially modifiable sources of this variation will elucidate opportunities for enhancing the radiation safety of these procedures., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aims: We examined what type of STEMI patients are more likely to undergo multivessel PCI (MPCI) in a "real-world" setting and whether MPCI leads to worse or better outcomes compared with single-vessel PCI (SPCI) after stratifying patients by risk., Methods and Results: Among STEMI patients enrolled in the Swiss AMIS Plus registry between 2005 and 2012 (n=12,000), 4,941 were identified with multivessel disease. We then stratified patients based on MPCI use and their risk. High-risk patients were identified a priori as those with: 1) left main (LM) involvement (lesions, n=263); 2) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; or 3) Killip class III/IV. Logistic regression models examined for predictors of MPCI use and the association between MPCI and in-hospital mortality. Three thousand eight hundred and thirty-three (77.6%) patients underwent SPCI and 1,108 (22.4%) underwent MPCI. Rates of MPCI were greater among high-risk patients for each of the three categories: 8.6% vs. 5.9% for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (p<0.01); 12.3% vs. 6.2% for Killip III/IV (p<0.001); and 14.5% vs. 2.7% for LM involvement (p<0.001). Overall, in-hospital mortality after MPCI was higher when compared with SPCI (7.3% vs. 4.4%; p<0.001). However, this result was not present when patients were stratified by risk: in-hospital mortality for MPCI vs. SPCI was 2.0% vs. 2.0% (p=1.00) in low-risk patients and 22.2% vs. 21.7% (p=1.00) in high-risk patients., Conclusions: High-risk patients are more likely to undergo MPCI. Furthermore, MPCI does not appear to be associated with higher mortality after stratifying patients based on their risk.

Background: Despite procedural advances, recanalization of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains controversial, particularly given that its long-term benefits are unclear. We assessed the association between successful PCI and symptom improvement as well as outcomes in patients with CTO and stable angina., Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 386 consecutive patients undergoing attempted PCI of an isolated CTO (i.e., no other angiographically-significant disease was present). We analyzed prospectively the change in Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) classification system and occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (death, myocardial infarction or target vessel revascularization), after stratifying patients by procedural success. To understand which patients might benefit most from attempted PCI, multivariable models were constructed to predict: likelihood of successful PCI and symptom improvement, defined as resolution of angina or improvement of ≥ 2 CCS classes., Results: A total of 247 (64%) patients had successful PCI. Greater symptom improvement was noted after successful PCI at both 6 months (79.8% versus 34.5% with resolution of angina or improvement of ≥ 2 CCS classes, p<0.01) and 24 months (71.7% and 20.9%, respectively, p<0.01). No differences were noted in MACE (11.3% vs. 10.0% at 6 months, p=0.70; and 18.6% vs. 19.4% at 24 months, p=0.84). Multivariable analysis identified several factors associated with successful PCI, but not predictive of symptom improvement. In conclusion, successful PCI of an isolated CTO improves symptom burden, but is not associated with MACE at 6 or 24 months., Conclusions: Several factors are associated with successful PCI, but identifying those most likely to have symptom improvement remains challenging., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The number of hospitals offering invasive cardiac services (diagnostic angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass grafting) has expanded, yet national patterns of service diffusion and their effect on geographic access to care are unknown., Methods and Results: This is a retrospective cohort study of all hospitals in fee-for-service Medicare, 1996 to 2008. Logistic regression identified the relationship between cardiac service adoption and the proportion of neighboring hospitals within 40 miles already offering the service. From 1996 to 2008, 397 hospitals began offering diagnostic angiography, 387 percutaneous coronary intervention, and 298 coronary artery bypass grafting (increasing the proportion with services by 3%, 11%, and 4%, respectively). This capacity increase led to little new geographic access to care; the population increase in geographic access to diagnostic angiography was 1 percentage point; percutaneous coronary intervention 5 percentage points, and coronary artery bypass grafting 4 percentage points. Controlling for hospital and market characteristics, a 10 percentage point increase in the proportion of nearby hospitals already offering the service increased the odds by 10% that a hospital would add diagnostic angiography (odds ratio, 1.102; 95% confidence interval, 1.018-1.193), increased the odds by 79% that it would add percutaneous coronary intervention (odds ratio, 1.794; 95% confidence interval, 1.288-2.498), and had no significant effect on adding coronary artery bypass grafting (odds ratio, 0.929; 95% confidence interval, 0.608-1.420)., Conclusions: Hospitals are most likely to introduce new invasive cardiac services when neighboring hospitals already offer such services. Increases in the number of hospitals offering invasive cardiac services have not led to corresponding increases in geographic access.

Background: Studies conducted decades ago described substantial disagreement and errors in physicians' angiographic interpretation of coronary stenosis severity. Despite the potential implications of such findings, no large-scale efforts to measure or improve clinical interpretation were subsequently undertaken., Methods and Results: We compared clinical interpretation of stenosis severity in coronary lesions with an independent assessment using quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) in 175 randomly selected patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention at 7 US hospitals in 2011. To assess agreement, we calculated mean difference in percent diameter stenosis between clinical interpretation and QCA and a Cohen weighted κ statistic. Of 216 treated lesions, median percent diameter stenosis was 80.0% (quartiles 1 and 3, 80.0% and 90.0%), with 213 (98.6%) assessed as ≥70%. Mean difference in percent diameter stenosis between clinical interpretation and QCA was 8.2±8.4%, reflecting an average higher percent diameter stenosis by clinical interpretation (P<0.001). A weighted κ of 0.27 (95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.36) was found between the 2 measurements. Of 213 lesions considered ≥70% by clinical interpretation, 56 (26.3%) were <70% by QCA, although none were <50%. Differences between the 2 measurements were largest for intermediate lesions by QCA (50% to <70%), with variation existing across sites., Conclusions: Physicians tended to assess coronary lesions treated with percutaneous coronary intervention as more severe than measurements by QCA. Almost all treated lesions were ≥70% by clinical interpretation, whereas approximately one quarter were <70% by QCA. These findings suggest opportunities to improve clinical interpretation of coronary angiography.

The article discusses patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, immediate and timely reperfusion is of paramount importance, and the optimal choice between primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Topics include use of fibrin-specific thrombolytics such as tenecteplase and alteplase has cost-prohibitive compared with streptokinase; and a pharmacoinvasive approach has particular promise for low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Several antiplatelet medications used during and after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are contraindicated for specific patient groups. A broad assessment of contraindicated medication use and associated clinical outcomes is not well described.Methods and Results: Using national Veterans Affairs Clinical Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking Program data for all PCI between 2007 and 2013, we evaluated patients with contraindications to commonly used antiplatelet medications during and after PCI, defined in accordance with package inserts. Adjusted association between contraindicated medication use and outcomes of periprocedural bleeding and 30-day mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazards with inverse probability weighting. Among 64 294 patients undergoing PCI, 11 315(17.6%) had a contraindication to a common antiplatelet medication and 737 (6.5%) of these patients received a contraindicated medication. In unadjusted analyses, any contraindicated medication use was associated with both increased bleeding and 30-day mortality. In adjusted models, contraindicated abciximab use in patients with thrombocytopenia (hazard ratio, 2.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.58-3.16) and in patients with a previous stroke (hazard ratio, 1.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-2.71) remained significantly associated with increased bleeding. Contraindicated abciximab use was not significantly associated with 30-day mortality in adjusted models. Use of eptifibatide in dialysis patients was not significantly associated with an increased risk of bleeding or mortality.Conclusions: In this national cohort, ≈18% of patients undergoing PCI had contraindications to common antiplatelet medications. Approximately 6% of those patients received a contraindicated medication with attendant bleeding risk, although this did not translate into significantly higher risk of 30-day mortality. Continued efforts to reduce contraindicated medication use may help avoid periprocedural complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which identifies whether measures for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are superfluous or complementary to help inform the maximum range of metrics for monitoring quality. Data is analyzed from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) CathPCI Registry to identify the association between a hospital's proportion of inappropriate PCIs and processes of care and post-procedural outcomes.