Effect of a community intervention on patient delay and emergency medical service use in acute coronary heart disease: The Rapid Early Action for Coronary Treatment (REACT) Trial

Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of a Cardiac Knowledge Questionnaire for Chinese Immigrants

BACKGROUND

Disease-related knowledge deficits are common in Chinese immigrants living in Western countries, putting them at risk of disease progression and mortality, particularly those with a coronary heart disease (CHD) diagnosis. However, no measurement instrument is available to assess CHD-related knowledge in this population.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to culturally adapt and examine the psychometric properties of the short version of Coronary Artery Disease Education Questionnaire (CADE-Q SV) (simplified Chinese version) in Chinese immigrants with CHD.

METHODS

Mandarin-speaking people recruited from medical centers and cardiology clinics across metropolitan Sydney completed the 20-item CADE-Q SV (5 domains; potential scores: 0-20). Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach α . A subgroup (n = 40) repeated the survey 2 weeks later for test-retest reliability by intraclass correlation coefficient. Factor structure (confirmatory factor analysis) and discriminant (known-groups) validation using education and English proficiency (univariate general linear model) were also undertaken.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 202) had a mean (SD) age of 66.08 (10.93) years, 45.1% were male, and the mean (SD) total CADE-Q SV score was 13.07 (4.57). Reliability and consistency were good (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.70; Cronbach α coefficients > 0.70, for total and per domain, respectively). The 5-domain structure was validated by confirmatory factor analysis. The scale demonstrated discriminant validity, with low education ( P < .001) and low English proficiency ( P = .017) associated with lower knowledge scores.

CONCLUSION

The CADE-Q SV (simplified Chinese version) can be used as a valid and reliable instrument, either paper based or digital, to evaluate the CHD-related knowledge of Chinese immigrants. This scale can be adapted to other migrant populations in the future.

Effectiveness of acute myocardial infarction interventions on selected outcomes among community dwelling-older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The older adult is an influential group experiencing acute myocardial infarction, delaying treatment and causing a high mortality rate. Factors related to their delay differ from other age groups, and their specific characteristics are barriers to recognizing their symptoms and learning new information. Therefore, specific innovative methods related to their limitations and needs should be considered when developing interventions promoting on-time treatment. This study aims to review intervention details and their effects on knowledge, belief, decision-making, rate of calling 911, and mortality among community-dwelling older adults at risk or after a first myocardial infarction compared to receiving usual care or no intervention. The 12 databases were searched unlimitedly until July 30, 2022. The two researchers independently reviewed the articles, and the third reviewer broke the tight when disagreement was found. Data were extracted, kinds of interventions were grouped, and intervention details were summarized narratively. Finally, the selected outcomes were analyzed by meta-analysis using a fixed and a random-effects model. Eleven articles were for final review. Interventions were categorized into eight groups: direct mail, community-based, multi-group health education, innovation methods, tailored education, structured education, tricked intervention promoting memory and concern, and nurse-based case management. Finally, the meta-analysis found that only innovative methods could increase the rate of calling 911 and taking aspirin (Odd ratio = 2.55; 95% CI = 1.01-6.44). In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences in the rate of affecting time to first unplanned readmission or death and time delay to the emergency room. Results recommended that effective and specific interventions must be developed and strengthened to promote older adults surviving acute myocardial infarction.Clinical Trial Registration Number: PROSPERO CRD42021247136.

Testing the Effect of a Smartphone App on Hospital Admissions and Sedentary Behavior in Cardiac Rehabilitation Participants: ToDo-CR Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

People with coronary heart disease are at an increased risk of morbidity and mortality even if they attend cardiac rehabilitation. High sedentary behavior levels potentially contribute to this morbidity. Smartphone apps may be feasible to facilitate sedentary behavior reductions and lead to reduced health care use.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to test the effect of a sedentary behavior change smartphone app (Vire app and ToDo-CR program) as an adjunct to cardiac rehabilitation on hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) presentations over 12 months.

METHODS

A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 120 participants recruited from 3 cardiac rehabilitation programs. Participants were randomized 1:1 to cardiac rehabilitation plus the fully automated 6-month Vire app and ToDo-CR program (intervention) or usual care (control). The primary outcome was nonelective hospital admissions and ED presentations over 12 months. Secondary outcomes including accelerometer-measured sedentary behavior, BMI, waist circumference, and quality of life were recorded at baseline and 6 and 12 months. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the primary outcome, and linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze secondary outcomes. Data on intervention and hospital admission costs were collected, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated.

RESULTS

Participants were, on average, aged 62 (SD 10) years, and the majority were male (93/120, 77.5%). The intervention group were more likely to experience all-cause (odds ratio [OR] 1.54, 95% CI 0.58-4.10; P=.39) and cardiac-related (OR 3.26, 95% CI 0.84-12.55; P=.09) hospital admissions and ED presentations (OR 2.07, 95% CI 0.89-4.77; P=.09) than the control group. Despite this, cardiac-related hospital admission costs were lower in the intervention group over 12 months (Aus $252.40 vs Aus $859.38; P=.24; a currency exchange rate of Aus $1=US $0.69 is applicable). There were no significant between-group differences in sedentary behavior minutes per day over 12 months, although the intervention group completed 22 minutes less than the control group (95% CI -22.80 to 66.69; P=.33; Cohen d=0.21). The intervention group had a lower BMI (β=1.62; P=.05), waist circumference (β=5.81; P=.01), waist-to-hip ratio (β=.03, P=.03), and quality of life (β=3.30; P=.05) than the control group. The intervention was more effective but more costly in reducing sedentary behavior (ICER Aus $351.77) and anxiety (ICER Aus $10,987.71) at 12 months. The intervention was also more effective yet costly in increasing quality of life (ICER Aus $93,395.50) at 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The Vire app and ToDo-CR program was not an outcome-effective or cost-effective solution to reduce all-cause hospital admissions or ED presentations in cardiac rehabilitation compared with usual care. Smartphone apps that target sedentary behavior alone may not be an effective solution for cardiac rehabilitation participants to reduce hospital admissions and sedentary behavior.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12619001223123; https://australianclinicaltrials.gov.au/anzctr/trial/ACTRN12619001223123.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040479.

Effect of a national awareness campaign on ambulance attendances for chest pain and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

AIM

Awareness of heart attack symptoms may enhance health-seeking behaviour and prevent premature deaths from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We sought to investigate the impact of a national awareness campaign on emergency medical service (EMS) attendances for chest pain and OHCA.

METHODS

Between January 2005 and December 2017, we included registry data for 97,860 EMS-attended OHCA cases from 3 Australian regions and dispatch data for 1,631,217 EMS attendances for chest pain across 5 Australian regions. Regions were exposed to between 11 and 28 months of television, radio, and print media activity. Multivariable negative binomial models were used to explore the effect of campaign activity on the monthly incidence of EMS attendances for chest pain and OHCA.

RESULTS

Months with campaign activity were associated with an 8.8% (IRR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.11) increase in the incidence of EMS attendances for chest pain and a 5.6% (IRR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.92, 0.97) reduction in OHCA attendances. Larger intervention effects were associated with increasing months of campaign activity, increasing monthly media spending and media exposure in 2013. In stratified analyses of OHCA cases, the largest reduction in incidence during campaign months was observed for unwitnessed arrests (IRR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.96), initial non-shockable arrests (IRR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.97) and arrests occurring in private residences (IRR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.98).

CONCLUSION

A national awareness campaign targeting knowledge of heart attack symptoms was associated with an increase in EMS use for chest pain and a reduction in OHCA incidence and may serve as an effective primary prevention strategy for OHCA.

A protocol for the Heart Matters stepped wedge cluster randomised trial: The effectiveness of heart attack education in regions at highest-risk

AIM

To describe the Heart Matters (HM) trial which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a community heart attack education intervention in high-risk areas in Victoria, Australia. These local government areas (LGAs) have high rates of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), cardiovascular risk factors, and low rates of emergency medical service (EMS) use for ACS.

METHODS

The trial follows a stepped-wedge cluster randomised design, with eight clusters (high-risk LGAs) randomly assigned to transition from control to intervention every four months. Two pairs of LGAs will transition simultaneously due to their proximity. The intervention consists of a heart attack education program delivered by trained HM Coordinators, with additional support from opportunistic media and a geo-targeted social media campaign. The primary outcome measure is the proportion of residents from the eight LGAs who present to emergency departments by EMS during an ACS event. Secondary outcomes include prehospital delay time, rates of OHCA and heart attack awareness. The primary and secondary outcomes will be analysed at the patient/participant level using mixed-effects logistic regression models. A detailed program evaluation is also being conducted. The trial was registered on August 9, 2021 (NCT04995900).

RESULTS

The intervention was implemented between February 2022 and March 2023, and outcome data will be collected from administrative databases, registries, and surveys. Primary trial data is expected to be locked for analysis by October 31st 2023, with a follow-up planned until March 31st 2024.

CONCLUSION

The results from this trial will provide high-level evidence the effectiveness of a community education intervention targeting regions at highest-risk of ACS and low EMS use.

Association of the Stroke Ready Community-Based Participatory Research Intervention With Incidence of Acute Stroke Thrombolysis in Flint, Michigan

Importance

Acute stroke treatment rates in the US lag behind those in other high-income nations.

Objective

To assess whether a hospital emergency department (ED) and community intervention was associated with an increased proportion of patients with stroke receiving thrombolysis.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This nonrandomized controlled trial of the Stroke Ready intervention took place in Flint, Michigan, from October 2017 to March 2020. Participants included adults living in the community. Data analysis was completed from July 2022 to May 2023.

Intervention

Stroke Ready combined implementation science and community-based participatory research approaches. Acute stroke care was optimized in a safety-net ED, and then a community-wide, theory-based health behavior intervention, including peer-led workshops, mailers, and social media, was conducted.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The prespecified primary outcome was the proportion of patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack from Flint who received thrombolysis before and after the intervention. The association between thrombolysis and the Stroke Ready combined intervention, including the ED and community components, was estimated using logistic regression models, clustering at the hospital level and adjusting for time and stroke type. In prespecified secondary analyses, the ED and community intervention were explored separately, adjusting for hospital, time, and stroke type.

Results

In total, 5970 people received in-person stroke preparedness workshops, corresponding to 9.7% of the adult population in Flint. There were 3327 ischemic stroke and TIA visits (1848 women [55.6%]; 1747 Black individuals [52.5%]; mean [SD] age, 67.8 [14.5] years) among patients from Flint seen in the relevant EDs, including 2305 in the preintervention period from July 2010 to September 2017 and 1022 in the postintervention period from October 2017 to March 2020. The proportion of thrombolysis usage increased from 4% in 2010 to 14% in 2020. The combined Stroke Ready intervention was not associated with thrombolysis use (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.13; 95% CI, 0.74-1.70; P = .58). The ED component was associated with an increase in thrombolysis use (adjusted OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.04-2.56; P = .03), but the community component was not (adjusted OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.96-1.01; P = .30).

Conclusions and Relevance

This nonrandomized controlled trial found that a multilevel ED and community stroke preparedness intervention was not associated with increased thrombolysis treatments. The ED intervention was associated with increased thrombolysis usage, suggesting that implementation strategies in partnership with safety-net hospitals may increase thrombolysis usage.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT036455900.

Pre-hospital delay, clinical characteristics, angiographic findings, and in-hospital mortality in young and middle-aged adults with acute coronary syndrome: a single-centre registry analysis

There are several differences between younger and older adults with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, few studies have evaluated these differences. We analysed the pre-hospital time interval [symptom onset to first medical contact (FMC)], clinical characteristics, angiographic findings, and in-hospital mortality in patients aged ≤50 (group A) and 51-65 (group B) years hospitalised for ACS. We retrospectively collected data from 2010 consecutive patients hospitalised with ACS between 1 October 2018 and 31 October 2021 from a single-centre ACS registry. Groups A and B included 182 and 498 patients, respectively. ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was more common in group A than group B (62.6 and 45.6%, respectively; P < 0.001). The median time from symptom onset to FMC in STEMI patients did not significantly differ between groups A and B [74 (40-198) and 96 (40-249) min, respectively; P = 0.369]. There was no difference in the rate of sub-acute STEMI (symptom onset to FMC > 24 h) between groups A and B (10.4% and 9.0%, respectively; P = 0.579). Among patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS), 41.8 and 50.2% of those in groups A and B, respectively, presented to the hospital within 24 h of symptom onset (P = 0.219). The prevalence of previous myocardial infarction was 19.2% in group A and 19.5% in group B (P = 1.00). Hypertension, diabetes, and peripheral arterial disease were more common in group B than group A. Active smoking was more common in group A than group B (67 and 54.2%, respectively; P = 0.021). Single-vessel disease was present in 52.2 and 37.1% of participants in groups A and B, respectively (P = 0.002). Proximal left anterior descending artery was more commonly the culprit lesion in group A compared with group B, irrespective of the ACS type (STEMI, 37.7 and 24.2%, respectively; P = 0.009; NSTE-ACS, 29.4 and 21%, respectively; P = 0.140). The hospital mortality rate for STEMI patients was 1.8 and 4.4% in groups A and B, respectively (P = 0.210), while for NSTE-ACS patients it was 2.9 and 2.6% in groups A and B, respectively (P = 0.873). No significant differences in pre-hospital delay were found between young (≤50 years) and middle-aged (51-65 years) patients with ACS. Although clinical characteristics and angiographic findings differ between young and middle-aged patients with ACS, the in-hospital mortality rate did not differ between the groups and was low for both of them.

Declining Public Awareness of Heart Attack Warning Symptoms in the Years Following an Australian Public Awareness Campaign: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

The National Heart Foundation of Australia's (NHFA) Warning Signs campaign ran between 2010 and 2013. This study examines trends in Australian adults' ability to name heart attack symptoms during the campaign and in the years following.

METHODS

Using the NHFA's HeartWatch data (quarterly online surveys) for adults aged 30-59 years, we conducted an adjusted piecewise regression analysis comparing trends in the ability to name symptoms during the campaign period plus one year lag (2010-2014) to the post-campaign period (2015-2020) RESULTS: Over the study period, there were 101,936 Australian adults surveyed. Symptom awareness was high or increased during the campaign period. However, there was a significant downward trend in each year following the campaign period for most symptoms (e.g., chest pain: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =0.91, 95%CI: 0.56-0.80; arm pain: AOR=0.92, 95%CI: 0.90-0.94). Conversely, the inability to name any heart attack symptom increased in each year following the campaign (3.7% in 2010 to 19.9% in 2020; AOR=1.13, 95%CI: 1.10-1.15); these respondents were more likely to be younger, male, have less than 12 years of education, identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples, speak a language other than English at home and have no cardiovascular risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Awareness of heart attack symptoms has decreased in the years since the Warning Signs campaign in Australia, with 1 in 5 adults currently unable to name a single heart attack symptom. New approaches are needed to promote and sustain this knowledge, and to ensure people act appropriately and promptly if symptoms occur.

Effects of a Narrative-Based Psychoeducational Intervention to Prepare Patients for Responding to Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Despite decades of educational efforts, patients' prolonged delays in seeking care for symptoms of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remain the greatest obstacle to successful management of the condition.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of a narrative-based psychoeducational intervention with a didactic educative approach on AMI survivors' intention to seek care for AMI symptoms and on AMI knowledge.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A multisite randomized clinical trial recruited community-dwelling patients aged 18 years or older with a history of AMI from 4 hospitals in Hong Kong from January 1, 2018, to January 22, 2021, and followed up participants for 1 year.

INTERVENTIONS

An 8-week narrative-based psychoeducational intervention aimed to create a vivid cognitive experience of complex decision-making and modeled desirable behavioral changes through nurse-led, interactive video sessions using model patients. The control group received 4 nurse-led sessions comprising education about AMI and care seeking delivered using a didactic approach.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was the behavioral intention between the 2 groups, reflected by participants' attitudes and beliefs about care seeking for AMI measured using the Acute Coronary Syndrome Response Index-Chinese version. The secondary outcome was AMI knowledge.

RESULTS

Six hundred and eight participants (mean [SD] age, 67.2 [8.3] years; 469 [77.1%] male) were randomized to either the narrative-based psychoeducation group (n = 304) or the didactic education group (n = 304). The psychoeducational intervention group reported greater positive changes than the control group in their attitudes (β = -1.053 [95% CI, -1.714 to -0.391]; P < .001) and beliefs (β = -0.686 [95% CI, -1.354 to -0.180]; P = .04) toward care seeking at the 3-month follow-up, and the difference was sustained at 12 months for both attitudes (β = -0.797 [95% CI, -1.477 to -0.117]; P = .02) and beliefs (β = -0.692 [95% CI, -1.309 to -0.012]; P = .047). There were no significant differences in AMI knowledge between the 2 study groups at the 3-month and 12-month time points.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The results of this randomized clinical trial found that a novel approach of narrative-based psychoeducation was effective in improving patients' behavioral intention to seek care for AMI symptoms. Longer-term follow-up to evaluate actual care-seeking behavior and clinical outcomes in patients with AMI is warranted to determine the sustained effects of this intervention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR Identifier: ChiCTR-IIC-17010576.

Factors Associated With Prehospital Delay Among Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Era of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention - Insights From the OACIS Registry

BACKGROUND

The Japan Circulation Society launched the STOP-MI campaign in 2014, focusing on immediate hospital arrival for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treatment. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing longer prehospital time among patients with AMI in Japan.Methods and Results:This study analyzed a total of 4,625 AMI patients enrolled in the Osaka Acute Coronary Insufficiency Study registry from 1998 to 2014. The prehospital time delay was defined as the time interval from the onset of initial symptoms to hospital arrival time ≥2 h. Among eligible patients, 2,927 (63.3%) had a prehospital time ≥2 h. In multivariable analyses, age 65-79 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.39), age ≥80 years (AOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.13-1.79), diabetes mellitus (AOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.16-1.52), and onset time of 0:00-5:59 h (AOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.37-1.95) were positively associated with prehospital time ≥2 h, whereas smoking (AOR 0.78, 95% CI 0.68-0.90) and ambulance use (AOR 0.37, 95% CI 0.32-0.43) were negatively associated with prehospital time ≥2 h.

CONCLUSIONS

Older age, diabetes mellitus, and nighttime onset were associated with prehospital time delay for AMI patients, whereas smoking and ambulance use were associated with no prehospital time delay. Healthcare providers and patients could help reduce the time to get to a medical facility by being aware of these findings.

Masters Age Football And Cardiovascular Risk (MAFACARI)

BACKGROUND

Football (soccer) is popular among those of Masters age (≥35 years). Although regular exercise improves health, strenuous exercise causes a transient increase in cardiac risk.

AIM

The aim of this survey of Masters Age Footballers was to gain insight into cardiac risk factors, symptoms, and knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about myocardial infarction (MI), and support for prevention.

METHODS

A web-based survey using REDCap was completed by 153 amateur Masters footballers from A grade competition (n=24), B or lower grade (n=95) or social games (n=34) in Sydney, Australia.

RESULTS

Participants were aged 49.3±7.5 years and primarily male (92.2%), Caucasian (88.9%) and university educated (75.2%). Risk factors included hypercholesterolaemia (37.3%), hypertension (19.6%), smoker (7.8%), overweight (40.5%) or obese (13.1%). One fifth (21.6%) reported ≥1 potential cardiac symptom during activity in the prior year, for which one quarter (24.2%) sought medical attention. Knowledge of typical MI symptoms was high (>80%) but lower (<40%) for less typical symptoms. Half (49.6%) were unconfident to recognise MI in themselves. Half (49.0%) would remain on the field for 5-10 minutes with chest pain. Only 39.9% were aware that warning signs may precede MI by days. They overestimated survival from cardiac arrest (43%). Participants supported training in automatic external defibrillators (AED) and CPR (84%), AEDs at games (85%) and cardiac education (>70%).

CONCLUSIONS

Cardiac risk factors are common In Masters footballers, with one in five experiencing possible cardiac symptoms in the prior year. While gaps exist in knowledge and optimal responses, strong support exists for preventive measures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Perceived Heart Attack Likelihood in Adults with a High Diabetes Risk

BACKGROUND

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women and men in the United States. Yet, little is known about the motivation for care-seeking behavior for heart attack and the perception of self-risk of a heart attack in individuals, especially those at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to describe knowledge and awareness of heart attacks and perceived risk for future heart attacks and evaluate factors associated with a low perceived risk of a heart attack in adults with a high risk for type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

In this secondary data, cross-sectional study, the screening/baseline data of 80 adults participating in the mobile phone-based diabetes prevention program trial were analyzed. Validated measures assessed knowledge, self-efficacy, and heart attack risk perception were used. Logistic regressions were performed.

RESULTS

The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 55.4 (9.0) years. 32.5% of the sample failed to identify any heart attack symptoms. Half of the sample did not perceive their risk of having a heart attack in their lifetime. Older age, lower body mass index, not having a family history of heart attack, and current smokers were significantly associated with a lower perceived risk of heart attack (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Healthcare providers need to assess the discrepancies between the individual's risk perception and the presence of actual risk factors of a heart attack in adults with a high risk for type 2 diabetes.

Impact of a mass media campaign on presentations and ambulance use for acute coronary syndrome

Objective

Between 2009 and 2013, the National Heart Foundation of Australia ran mass media campaigns to improve Australian’s awareness of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) symptoms and the need to call emergency medical services (EMS). This study examined the impact of this campaign on emergency department (ED) presentations and EMS use in Victoria, Australia.

Methods

The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services provided data for adult Victorian patients presenting to public hospitals with an ED diagnosis of ACS or unspecified chest pain (U-CP). We modelled changes in the incidence of ED presentations, and the association between the campaign period and (1) EMS arrival and (2) referred to ED by a general practitioner (GP). Models were adjusted for increasing population size, ACS subtype and demographics.

Results

Between 2003 and 2015, there were 124 632 eligible ED presentations with ACS and 536 148 with U-CP. In patients with ACS, the campaign period was associated with an increase in ED presentations (incidence rate ratio: 1.11; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.15), a decrease in presentations via a GP (adjusted OR (AOR): 0.77; 95% CI 0.70 to 0.86) and an increase in EMS use (AOR: 1.10; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.17). Similar, but smaller associations were seen in U-CP.

Conclusions

The Warning Signs Campaign was associated with improvements in treatment seeking in patients with ACS—including increased EMS use. The increase in ACS ED presentations corresponds with a decrease in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest over this time. Future education needs to focus on improving EMS use in ACS patient groups where use remains low.

Factors affecting STEMI performance in six hospitals within one healthcare system

BACKGROUND

How quickly percutaneous coronary intervention is performed in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a quality measure, reported as door-to-balloon (D2B) time.

OBJECTIVES

To explore factors affecting STEMI performance in six hospitals in one healthcare system.

METHODS

This was a retrospective chart review of clinical features and D2B times. Predictors for D2B times were identified using multivariate linear regression.

RESULTS

The median D2B time for all six hospitals was 63 minutes and all hospitals surpassed the minimal recommended percentage of patients achieving D2B time ≤90 minutes (87.8%vs75%,p<0.001). Patient confounders adversely affect D2B times (+21.5 minutes, p<0.001). Field ECG/activation with emergency department (ED) transport (-22.0 minutes) or direct cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) transport (-27.3 minutes) was superior to ED ECG/activation (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Field ECG/STEMI activation significantly shortened D2B time. To improve D2B time, hospital and Emergency Medical Service collaboration should be advocated to increase field activation and direct patient transportation to CCL.

Persistent decline of hospitalizations for acute stroke and acute coronary syndrome during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece: collateral damage unaffected

Background:

An alarming cerebro/cardiovascular collateral damage, reflected by a decline in admissions for acute stroke (AS) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), was observed during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby leading to a re-design of public campaigns. However, there are limited data regarding the AS and ACS hospitalization rates during the second wave of the pandemic, which was followed by re-imposition of lockdowns.

Methods:

We calculated the rate of AS and ACS hospitalizations from three representative tertiary care hospitals in Greece during a 2-month period (November–December 2020) of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the corresponding control period in 2019 from three representative tertiary care hospitals in Greece. This was a follow-up study with identical design to our previous report evaluating AS and ACS hospitalizations during the first wave of the pandemic (March–April 2020).

Results:

Compared with 2019, there was a 34% relative reduction of AS hospitalizations [incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48–0.92, p = 0.013] and 33% relative reduction of ACS hospitalizations (IRR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.54–0.83, p < 0.001) during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The relative reduction was smaller and did not reach the level of statistical significance for the respective syndromes (haemorrhagic stroke: IRR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.41–1.82, p = 0.71; ST-elevation myocardial infarction: IRR 0.81, 95% CI: 0.57–1.14, p = 0.22).

Conclusion:

AS and ACS hospitalizations were persistently reduced during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 in Greece. This decline was similar to the observations during the first wave despite the large differences in the epidemiological COVID-19 burden. Lockdowns, a common characteristic in both waves, appear to have a detrimental indirect impact on cerebro/cardiovascular diseases in the general population.

Trends and characteristics in pre-hospital emergency care in Beijing from 2008 to 2017

Background:

We aimed to describe and analyze the pre-hospital emergency medical service (EMS) in Beijing and provide information for the government and medical institutions to optimize EMS.

Methods:

We collected all pre-hospital emergency data in Beijing from 2008 to 2017. The chief complaint in each case was classified according to the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS). The sites’ administrative districts were determined through geo-encoding of addresses and then classified into four functional regions. We analyzed the demand for EMS, emergency response times (ERT), and disease spectrum for Beijing as a whole, and for each functional region.

Results:

A total of 4,192,870 pre-hospital EMS cases met the inclusion criteria, with a significant increase (P < 0.001) of 51.60% from 2008 to 2017. EMS demand was positively associated with population (r = 0.946, P < 0.001). The pre-hospital EMS demand rate was 1907.05 in 2008 and 2172.23 in 2017 per 100,000, with no significant change (P = 0.57). ERT increased significantly (P = 0.001), from 19.18 min in 2008 to 24.51 min in 2016. According to MPDS classifications, the demand for pre-hospital care increased for 14 diseases, remained stable for 19, and decreased for only 1 disease. Cases of injury-related disease increased significantly from approximately 90,000 in 2017, accounting for 20% of all pre-hospital EMS cases, and the demand rate decreased in the core region but increased in the sub-urban regions. Cases of heart problems and stroke/transient ischemic attack also increased significantly in the four functional regions, with the highest demand rate in the Core Functional Region.

Conclusions:

More resources and effort should be devoted to pre-hospital EMS according to the increased pre-hospital EMS demand and prolonged ERT in Beijing over our 10-year study period. Changes in disease spectrum and differences between functional regions should also be considered.

Factors influencing patient decision delay in activation of emergency medical services for suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with time delay to emergency medical services for patients with suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

METHODS

This observational study involved 1994 suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients presenting to the emergency medical services in Melbourne, Australia, between October 2011-January 2014. Factors associated with delays to emergency medical services call of >1 h and emergency medical services self-referral were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

The time of symptom onset was reported for 1819 patients (91.2%), the median symptom onset-to-call time was 52 min (interquartile range=17-176). Of all emergency medical services calls, 17% were referred by healthcare professionals. Compared to self-referred patients, patients who presented to a general practitioner or hospital had higher odds of delay >1 h to emergency medical services activation (adjusted odds ratio 7.76; 95% confidence interval 5.10-11.83; and 8.02; 3.65-17.64, respectively). The other factors associated with emergency medical services call delays of >1 h were living alone, non-English speaking background, a history of substance abuse, less severe symptoms, symptom onset at home and at rest, and self-treatment. Emergency medical services self-referred patients were more likely to be older than 75 years, have a history of ischemic heart disease or revascularization, more severe symptoms, and symptom onset at home, with activity, during the weekends and out-of-hours.

CONCLUSION

Almost one-fifth of emergency medical services calls for suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction were healthcare referrals, and this was associated with increased delays. A wide range of factors could influence a patient's decision to directly and rapidly seek emergency medical services. More efforts are needed to educate at-risk populations about early self-referral to the emergency medical services.

Pre-hospital Delay and Its Reasons in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Presenting to a Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention-Capable Center

Objective

This study aimed to assess the duration of pre-hospital delay among ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients and its contributing factors.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Rural Satellite Center in Larkana, Pakistan from May to September 2020. A total of 240 STEMI patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI) were included. The patients' demographic characteristics, index event characteristics, mode of transportation, misinterpretations, misdiagnoses, and financial problems were recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

Results

The observed pre-hospital time was 120 minutes; 229 (median; interquartile range [IQR]). It was found that 33.3% of patients arrived within one hour of the symptom onset, while 20.4% of patients delayed hospital arrival for more than six hours. The delay rate was highest among patients aged 41 to 65 years. Moreover, delayed admissions were more common among females as compared to males (p=0.008). Among the causes of delay in hospital arrival were misinterpretation, misdiagnosis, and transportation and financial issues. Of these, misdiagnosis significantly influenced the delay rate, i.e., more than 50% of the misdiagnosed patients arrived hospital after six hours of symptom onset (p<0.05).

Conclusion

The P-PCI rural satellite center had a positive impact as the observed pre-hospital delay rate was considerably less as compared to that reported in the existing literature. Moreover, the confounding factors were misdiagnosis and misinterpretations. We need to develop the concept of immediate appropriate help-seeking among patients.

Interventions to increase patient and family involvement in escalation of care for acute life-threatening illness in community health and hospital settings

BACKGROUND

There is now a rising commitment to acknowledge the role patients and families play in contributing to their safety. This review focuses on one type of involvement in safety - patient and family involvement in escalation of care for serious life-threatening conditions i.e. helping secure a step-up to urgent or emergency care - which has been receiving increasing policy and practice attention. This review was concerned with the negotiation work that patient and family members undertake across the emergency care escalation pathway, once contact has been made with healthcare staff. It includes interventions aiming to improve detection of symptoms, communication of concerns and staff response to these concerns.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of interventions designed to increase patient and family involvement in escalation of care for acute life-threatening illness on patient and family outcomes, treatment outcomes, clinical outcomes, patient and family experience and adverse events.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, MEDLINE (OvidSP), Embase (OvidSP), PsycINFO (OvidSP) ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from 1 Jan 2000 to 24 August 2018. The search was updated on 21 October 2019.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster-randomised controlled trials where the intervention focused on patients and families working with healthcare professionals to ensure care received for acute deterioration was timely and appropriate. A key criterion was to include an interactive element of rehearsal, role play, modelling, shared language, group work etc. to the intervention to help patients and families have agency in the process of escalation of care. The interventions included components such as enabling patients and families to detect changes in patients' conditions and to speak up about these changes to staff. We also included studies where the intervention included a component targeted at enabling staff response.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Seven of the eight authors were involved in screening; two review authors independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies, with any disagreements resolved by discussion to reach consensus. Primary outcomes included patient and family outcomes, treatment outcomes, clinical outcomes, patient and family experience and adverse events. Our advisory group (four users and four providers) ensured that the review was of relevance and could inform policy and practice.

MAIN RESULTS

We included nine studies involving 436,684 patients and family members and one ongoing study. The published studies focused on patients with specific conditions such as coronary artery disease, ischaemic stroke, and asthma, as well as pregnant women, inpatients on medical surgical wards, older adults and high-risk patients with a history of poor self-management. While all studies tested interventions versus usual care, for four studies the usual care group also received educational or information strategies. Seven of the interventions involved face-to-face, interactional education/coaching sessions aimed at patients/families while two provided multi-component education programmes which included components targeted at staff as well as patients/families. All of the interventions included: (1) an educational component about the acute condition and preparedness for future events such as stroke or change in fetal movements: (2) an engagement element (self-monitoring, action plans); while two additionally focused on shared language or communication skills. We had concerns about risk of bias for all but one of the included studies in respect of one or more criteria, particularly regarding blinding of participants and personnel. Our confidence in results regarding the effectiveness of interventions was moderate to low. Low-certainty evidence suggests that there may be moderate improvement in patients' knowledge of acute life-threatening conditions, danger signs, appropriate care-seeking responses, and preparedness capacity between interactional patient-facing interventions and multi-component programmes and usual care at 12 months (MD 4.20, 95% CI 2.44 to 5.97, 2 studies, 687 participants). Four studies in total assessed knowledge (3,086 participants) but we were unable to include two other studies in the pooled analysis due to differences in the way outcome measures were reported. One found no improvement in knowledge but higher symptom preparedness at 12 months. The other study found an improvement in patients' knowledge about symptoms and appropriate care-seeking responses in the intervention group at 18 months compared with usual care. Low-certainty evidence from two studies, each using a different measure, meant that we were unable to determine the effects of patient-based interventions on self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was higher in the intervention group in one study but there was no difference in the other compared with usual care. We are uncertain whether interactional patient-facing and multi-component programmes improve time from the start of patient symptoms to treatment due to low-certainty evidence for this outcome. We were unable to combine the data due to differences in outcome measures. Three studies found that arrival times or prehospital delay time was no different between groups. One found that delay time was shorter in the intervention group. Moderate-certainty evidence suggests that multi-component interventions probably have little or no impact on mortality rates. Only one study on a pregnant population was eligible for inclusion in the review, which found no difference between groups in rates of stillbirth. In terms of unintended events, we found that interactional patient-facing interventions to increase patient and family involvement in escalation of care probably have few adverse effects on patient's anxiety levels (moderate-certainty evidence). None of the studies measured or reported patient and family perceptions of involvement in escalation of care or patient and family experience of patient care. Reported outcomes related to healthcare professionals were also not reported in any studies.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Our review identified that interactional patient-facing interventions and multi-component programmes (including staff) to increase patient and family involvement in escalation of care for acute life-threatening illness may improve patient and family knowledge about danger signs and care-seeking responses, and probably have few adverse effects on patient's anxiety levels when compared to usual care. Multi-component interventions probably have little impact on mortality rates. Further high-quality trials are required using multi-component interventions and a focus on relational elements of care. Cognitive and behavioural outcomes should be included at patient and staff level.

The individual and neighborhood factors associated with the use of emergency medical services in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE

The utilization of emergency medical services (EMS) varies widely among communities. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the use of EMS by patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and the individual and neighborhood characteristics of these patients.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis of data from the Cardiovascular Disease Surveillance project, which included patients diagnosed with STEMI at 29 emergency centers in South Korea. Our analysis included only patients living in Seoul, and the primary outcome measured was the use of EMS. While the clinical variables of the patients were collected from the Cardiovascular Disease Surveillance registry, the 2010 National Census data was used to identify neighborhood variables such as population density, income, age, and residence type. We used a 3-level hierarchical logistic regression to estimate the effects of neighborhood-level factors on EMS use by individual patients.

RESULTS

We evaluated 1,634 patients with STEMI from 2007 to 2012. The neighborhoods were grouped into 25 counties. The regional rates of EMS use varied from 18.3% to 46.5%. The final adjusted logistic model revealed that the use of EMS was significantly associated with the average number of households (neighborhood level factor) and symptoms of syncope, cardiac arrest, and history of cardiovascular disease (individual level factors).

CONCLUSION

The individual levels factors had a greater influence on the use of EMS compared to the neighborhood-level factors.

Unusual Fatigue and Failure to Utilize EMS Are Associated With Prolonged Prehospital Delay for Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Rapid reperfusion reduces infarct size and mortality for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but efficacy is time dependent. The aim of this study was to determine if transportation factors and clinical presentation predicted prehospital delay for suspected ACS, stratified by final diagnosis (ACS vs. no ACS).

METHODS

A heterogeneous sample of emergency department (ED) patients with symptoms suggestive of ACS was enrolled at 5 US sites. Accelerated failure time models were used to specify a direct relationship between delay time and variables to predict prehospital delay by final diagnosis.

RESULTS

Enrolled were 609 (62.5%) men and 366 (37.5%) women, predominantly white (69.1%), with a mean age of 60.32 (±14.07) years. Median delay time was 6.68 (confidence interval 1.91, 24.94) hours; only 26.2% had a prehospital delay of 2 hours or less. Patients presenting with unusual fatigue [time ratio (TR) = 1.71, P = 0.002; TR = 1.54, P = 0.003, respectively) or self-transporting to the ED experienced significantly longer prehospital delay (TR = 1.93, P < 0.001; TR = 1.71, P < 0.001, respectively). Predictors of shorter delay in patients with ACS were shoulder pain and lightheadedness (TR = 0.65, P = 0.013 and TR = 0.67, P = 0.022, respectively). Predictors of shorter delay for patients ruled out for ACS were chest pain and sweating (TR = 0.071, P = 0.025 and TR = 0.073, P = 0.032, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Patients self-transporting to the ED had prolonged prehospital delays. Encouraging the use of EMS is important for patients with possible ACS symptoms. Calling 911 can be positively framed to at-risk patients and the community as having advanced care come to them because EMS capabilities include 12-lead ECG acquisition and possibly high-sensitivity troponin assays.

The impact of Community intervention on the time from Symptom onset to first medical contact with acute coronary syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Patient delay in the recognition of and response to the symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a worldwide problem. A community education program about chest pain was implemented in China, and was aimed at providing better community intervention. In this study, the impact of this program on the time of symptom onset to the first medical contact (SO-to-FMC) in ACS patients was investigated, as was the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in these patients.

METHODS

A total of 10 local communities were included in this study. A 9-month intensive community education program about chest pain was conducted in these communities. The data on the demographics, mode of transportation, procedures, clinical outcomes, and discharge diagnoses of all ACS patients in these communities were collected.

RESULTS

The study communities had a combined population of 361,609, and all community population sizes ranged from 12,823 to 66,127. The average SO-to-FMC time of the control period was 510 min, whereas, following community intervention, the average SO-to-FMC time was 256 min (P <  0.001). Furthermore, comparative analyses revealed that, following discharge from the hospital, the 1.5-year MACCE-free survival rate was higher in the community intervention group than in the control group (95.0 % vs. 90.5 %, P =  0.025), and the 1.5-year mortality rate was lower in the community intervention group than in the control group (3.3 % vs. 6.3 %, P =  0.03).

CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The Hangzhou Chest Pain Science Education Project(HCPSEP) was found to reduce the SO-to-FMC time and improve the outcome of ACS patients. This indicates that a scientific, educational program on chest pain can be effective in improving the knowledge and alertness of the local residents about chest pain. This type of program may be recognized and carried out in other regions.

A systematic review of educational interventions aiming to reduce prehospital delay in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Interventions aiming at reducing prehospital delay (PHD) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have yielded inconsistent findings. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review studies which investigated the impact of educational interventions on reducing PHD in patients with ACS. We searched four electronic databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane) from inception throughout December 2016 for studies that reported the impact of either mass-media or personalised intervention on PHD. Reporting quality was assessed with the Template for Intervention Description and Replication checklist for interventional trials. Two reviewers screened 12 184 abstracts and performed full-text screening on 86 articles, leading to 34 articles which met our inclusion criteria. We found 18 educational interventions with a total of 180 914 participants (range: n=100-125 161) and a median of 1342 participants. Among these educational interventions, 13 campaigns employed a mass-media approach and five a personalised approach. Ten studies yielded no significant effects on the primary outcome while the remaining interventions reported a significant reduction with a decrease between 17 and 324 min (median reduction: 40 min, n=5). The success was partly driven by an increase in emergency medical services use. Two studies reported an increase in acute myocardial infarction knowledge. We observed no superiority of the personalised over the mass-media approach. Although methodological shortcomings and the heterogeneity of included interventions still do not allow definite recommendations for future campaigns, it becomes evident that either mass media or personalised interventions can be successful in reducing PHD, especially those who address behavioural consequences and psychological barriers (eg, denial) and provide practical action plan considerations as part of their campaign messages. CRD42017055684 (PROSPERO registration number).

Call to Action: Rural Health: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association

Understanding and addressing the unique health needs of people residing in rural America is critical to the American Heart Association's pursuit of a world with longer, healthier lives. Improving the health of rural populations is consistent with the American Heart Association's commitment to health equity and its focus on social determinants of health to reduce and ideally to eliminate health disparities. This presidential advisory serves as a call to action for the American Heart Association and other stakeholders to make rural populations a priority in programming, research, and policy. This advisory first summarizes existing data on rural populations, communities, and health outcomes; explores 3 major groups of factors underlying urban-rural disparities in health outcomes, including individual factors, social determinants of health, and health delivery system factors; and then proposes a set of solutions spanning health system innovation, policy, and research aimed at improving rural health.

The AngelMed Guardian® System in the Detection of Coronary Artery Occlusion: Current Perspectives

Total ischemic time, which specifies the time from the onset of chest pain to initiation of reperfusion during percutaneous coronary intervention, consists of two intervals: symptom to door time and door to balloon time. A door to balloon time of 90 mins or less has become a quality-of-care metric in the management of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). While national efforts made by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have curtailed in-hospital door to balloon time over the years, a reduction in pre-hospital symptoms to door time presents a challenge in modern interventional Cardiology. Early and complete revascularization has been associated with improved clinical outcomes in MI and strategies that may help reduce symptom to door time, and thus the total ischemic time, are crucial. Rapidly evolving ST-segment changes commonly develop prior to ischemia-related symptom onset, and are detectable even in patients with clinically unrecognized silent MIs. Therefore, a highly intelligent ischemia detection system that alerts patients of ST segment deviation may allow for rapid identification of acute coronary occlusion. The AngelMed Guardian^® System is a cardiac activity monitoring and alerting system designed for rapid identification of intracardiac ST-segment changes among patients at a high risk for recurrent ACS events. This article reviews the clinical studies evaluating the design, safety and efficacy of the AngelMed Guardian System and discusses the clinical implications of the device.

Variation and Disparities in Awareness of Myocardial Infarction Symptoms Among Adults in the United States

IMPORTANCE

Prompt recognition of myocardial infarction symptoms is critical for timely access to lifesaving emergency cardiac care. However, patients with myocardial infarction continue to have a delayed presentation to the hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To understand the variation and disparities in awareness of myocardial infarction symptoms among adults in the United States.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cross-sectional study used data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey among adult residents of the United States, assessing awareness of the 5 following common myocardial infarction symptoms among different sociodemographic subgroups: (1) chest pain or discomfort, (2) shortness of breath, (3) pain or discomfort in arms or shoulders, (4) feeling weak, lightheaded, or faint, and (5) jaw, neck, or back pain. The response to a perceived myocardial infarction (ie, calling emergency medical services vs other) was also assessed.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Prevalence and characteristics of individuals who were unaware of myocardial infarction symptoms and/or chose not to call emergency medical services in response to these symptoms.

RESULTS

Among 25 271 individuals (13 820 women [51.6%; 95% CI, 50.8%-52.4%]; 17 910 non-Hispanic white individuals [69.9%; 95% CI, 68.2%-71.6%]; and 21 826 individuals [82.7%; 95% CI, 81.5%-83.8%] born in the United States), 23 383 (91.8%; 95% CI, 91.0%-92.6%) considered chest pain or discomfort a symptom of myocardial infarction; 22 158 (87.0%; 95% CI, 86.1%-87.8%) considered shortness of breath a symptom; 22 064 (85.7%; 95% CI, 84.8%-86.5%) considered pain or discomfort in arm a symptom; 19 760 (77.0%; 95% CI, 76.1%-77.9%) considered feeling weak, lightheaded, or faint a symptom; and 16 567 (62.6%; 95% CI, 61.6%-63.7%) considered jaw, neck, or back pain a symptom. Overall, 14 075 adults (53.0%; 95% CI, 51.9%-54.1%) were aware of all 5 symptoms, whereas 4698 (20.3%; 95% CI, 19.4%-21.3%) were not aware of the 3 most common symptoms and 1295 (5.8%; 95% CI, 5.2%-6.4%) were not aware of any symptoms. Not being aware of any symptoms was associated with male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.23; 95% CI, 1.05-1.44; P = .01), Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.47-2.43; P < .001), not having been born in the United States (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.47-2.33; P < .001), and having a lower education level (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.09-1.58; P = .004). Among 294 non-Hispanic black or Hispanic individuals who were not born in the United States, belonged to the low-income or lowest-income subgroup, were uninsured, and had a lower education level, 61 (17.9%; 95% CI, 13.3%-23.6%) were not aware of any symptoms. This group had 6-fold higher odds of not being aware of any symptoms (OR, 6.34; 95% CI, 3.92-10.26; P < .001) compared with individuals without these characteristics. Overall, 1130 individuals (4.5%; 95% CI, 4.0%-5.0%) chose a different response than calling emergency medical services in response to a myocardial infarction.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Many adults in the United States remain unaware of the symptoms of and appropriate response to a myocardial infarction. In this study, several sociodemographic subgroups were associated with a higher risk of not being aware. They may benefit the most from targeted public health initiatives.

Prevalence and Predictors of Delay in Seeking Emergency Care in Patients Who Call 9-1-1 for Chest Pain

BACKGROUND

Delay in seeking medical treatment for suspected acute coronary syndrome can lead to negative patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of delay in seeking care in high-risk chest pain patients with or without acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of an observational cohort study of patients transported by Emergency Medical Services for a chief complaint of chest pain. Important demographic and clinical characteristics were extracted from electronic health records. Two independent reviewers adjudicated the presence of ACS. Logistic regression was used to model the predictors of delay in seeking care.

RESULTS

The final sample included 743 patients (99% non-Hispanic). Overall, 24% presented > 12 h from onset of symptoms. Among those with ACS (n = 115), 14% presented > 12 h after onset of symptoms. Race, smoking, diabetes, and related symptoms were associated with delayed seeking behavior. In multivariate analysis, non-Caucasian race (black or others) was the only independent predictor of > 12 h delay in seeking care (odds ratio 1.4; 95% confidence interval 1.0-1.9).

CONCLUSIONS

One in four patients with chest pain, including 14% of those with ACS, wait more than 12 h before seeking care. Compared to non-blacks, black patients are 40% more likely to delay seeking care > 12 h.

"Make the Call, Don't Miss a Beat" Campaign: Effect on Emergency Medical Services Use in Women with Heart Attack Signs

BACKGROUND

Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between the "Make The Call, Don't Miss a Beat" national mass media campaign and emergency medical services (EMS) use among women with possible heart attack symptoms.

METHODS

We linked campaign TV public service advertisement data with national EMS activation data for 2010 to 2014. We identified EMS activations (i.e., responses) for possible heart attack symptoms and for unintentional injuries for both women and men. We estimated the impact of the campaign on the fraction of the 1.7 to 15.9 million activations of women with possible heart attack symptoms compared with 1.9 million female activations for unintentional injuries within each EMS agency and month using quasi-binomial logistic regression controlling for time and state.

RESULTS

Of the 3,175 U S. counties, 90% were exposed to the campaign. However, less than 2% of U.S. counties reached moderate TV exposure (≥300 gross rating points) during the entire campaign period. We did not observe an increase in the fraction of female activations for possible heart attack during periods or in counties with higher campaign exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

This mass media campaign that relied heavily on TV public service advertisements was not associated with increased EMS use by women with possible heart attack symptoms, even among counties that were more highly exposed to the campaign advertisements.

Sex Differences in the Presentation and Perception of Symptoms Among Young Patients With Myocardial Infarction: Evidence from the VIRGO Study (Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young AMI Patients)

BACKGROUND

Some studies report that women are less likely to present with chest pain for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Information on symptom presentation, perception of symptoms, and care-seeking behaviors is limited for young patients with AMI.

METHODS

We interviewed 2009 women and 976 men aged 18 to 55 years hospitalized for AMI at 103 US hospitals participating in the VIRGO study (Variation in Recovery: Role of Gender on Outcomes of Young AMI Patients). Structured patient interviews during the index AMI hospitalization were used to collect information on symptom presentation, perception of symptoms, and care-seeking behaviors. We compared patient characteristics and presentation information by sex. Multivariable hierarchical logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between sex and symptom presentation.

RESULTS

The majority of women (87.0%) and men (89.5%) presented with chest pain (defined as pain, pressure, tightness, or discomfort). Women were more likely to present with ≥3 associated symptoms than men (eg, epigastric symptoms, palpitations, and pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, arms, or between the shoulder blades; 61.9% for women versus 54.8% for men, P<0.001). In adjusted analyses, women with an ST-segment-elevation AMI were more likely than men to present without chest pain (odds ratio, 1.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.22). In comparison with men, women were more likely to perceive symptoms as stress/anxiety (20.9% versus 11.8%, P<0.001) but less likely to attribute symptoms to muscle pain (15.4% versus 21.2%, P=0.029). Approximately 29.5% of women and 22.1% of men sought medical care for similar symptoms before their hospitalization (P<0.001); however, 53% of women reported that their provider did not think these symptoms were heart-related in comparison with 37% of men (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The presentation of AMI symptoms was similar for young women and men, with chest pain as the predominant symptom for both sexes. Women presented with a greater number of additional non-chest pain symptoms regardless of the presence of chest pain, and both women and their healthcare providers were less likely to attribute their prodromal symptoms to heart disease in comparison with men.

Reducing delay in patients with acute coronary syndrome and other time-critical conditions: a systematic review to identify the behaviour change techniques associated with effective interventions

Background

Time to treatment in many conditions, particularly acute coronary syndrome, is critical to reducing mortality. Delay between onset of symptoms and treatment remains a worldwide problem. Reducing patient delay has been particularly challenging. Embedding behaviour change techniques (BCTs) within interventions might lead to shorter delay.

Objective

To identify which BCTs are associated with reductions in patient delay among people with symptoms or conditions where time to treatment is critical.

Methods

The data sources were Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PsycINFO. Study eligibility criteria include intervention evaluations (randomised controlled trials, controlled clinical trials and cohort studies) involving adults (aged >18 years) and including an outcome measure of patient delay up to August 2016. Study appraisal and synthesis methods include screening potential studies using a transparent, replicable process. Study characteristics, outcomes and BCTs were extracted from eligible studies.

Results

From 39 studies (200 538 participants), just over half (n=20) reported a significant reduction in delay. 19 BCTs were identified, plus 5 additional techniques, with a mean of 2 (SD=2.3) BCTs and 2 (SD=0.7) per intervention. No clear pattern between BCTs and effectiveness was found. In studies examining patient delay specifically, three of four studies that included two or more BCTs, in addition to the two most commonly used additional techniques, reported a significant reduction in delay.

Conclusions

Around half of the interventions to reduce prehospital delay with time-critical symptoms report a significant reduction in delay time. It is not clear what differentiates effective from non-effective interventions, although in relation to patient delay particularly additional use of BCTs might be helpful.

Trial registration number

CRD42014013106.

Time to hospital arrival among patients with acute myocardial infarction in China: a report from China PEACE prospective study

Aims

Few contemporary studies have reported the time between acute myocardial infarction (AMI) symptoms onset and hospital arrival, associated factors, and patient perceptions of AMI symptoms and care seeking. We sought to study these issues using data from China, where AMI hospitalizations are increasing.

Methods and results

We used data from the China PEACE prospective AMI study of 53 hospitals across 21 provinces in China. Patients were interviewed during index hospitalization for information of symptom onset, and perceived barriers to accessing care. Regression analyses were conducted to explore factors associated with the time between symptom onset and hospital arrival. The final sample included 3434 patients (mean age 61 years). The median time from symptom onset to hospital arrival was 4 h (interquartile range 2–7.5 h). While 94% of patients reported chest pain or chest discomfort, only 43% perceived symptoms as heart-related. In multivariable analyses, time to hospital arrival was longer by 14% and 39% for patients failing to recognize symptoms as cardiac and those with rural medical insurance, respectively (both P < 0.001). Compared with patients with household income over 100 000 RMB, those with income of 10 000–50 000 RMB, and <10 000 RMB had 16% and 23% longer times, respectively (both P = 0.03).

Conclusion

We reported an average time to hospital arrival of 4 h for AMI in China, with longer time associated with rural medical insurance, failing to recognize symptoms as cardiac, and low household income. Strategies to improve the timeliness of presentation may be essential to improving outcomes for AMI in China.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01624909.

Level of Recommended Heart Attack Knowledge among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Adults in the United States

In this report we examine the level of knowledge about heart attack symptoms and what action to take if a heart attack is suspected among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) adults in the United States using data from the 2014 NHPI-National Health Interview Survey. Analyses include summary statistics to describe levels of heart attack knowledge and multivariate logistic regression to identify characteristics associated with having the recommended heart attack knowledge. Less than half (44.4%) of NHPI adults have the recommended heart attack knowledge. Significant differences in knowledge levels were found based on age; those aged 45-64 years and those aged 65 years and older were 68% and 78% more likely, respectively, to have the recommended heart attack knowledge compared those aged younger than 45 years. The level of recommended heart attack knowledge among NHPI is lower than that of the general population. Improving the heart attack knowledge of all Americans should continue to be a national priority, but efforts to target this group for heart attack knowledge improvement should be made given their high risk for heart attack.

Changing Practice Pattern of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Taiwan from 2008 to 2015

BACKGROUND

Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST segment elevation (NSTE)-ACS have a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the practice patterns of ACS care in Taiwan from 2005 to 2018.

METHODS

Data from two nationwide ACS registries (2008-2010 and 2012-2015) were used. ACS patients who received percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) during admission were compared between the two registries.

RESULTS

In STEMI, the door-to-balloon time for primary PCI decreased by 25 min from a median of 96 to 71 min (p < 0.0001) from the first to second registry. More complex PCI procedures and drug-eluting stents were used for ACS. However, the onset-to-door time was still long for both STEMI and NSTE-ACS. The D2B time for NSTE-ACS was long, especially in the elderly and female patients. Although the prescription rate of secondary preventive medications for ACS increased, it was still relatively low compared with Western data, especially in NSTE-ACS.

CONCLUSIONS

The registry data showed that ACS care quality has improved in Taiwan. However, areas including onset-to-door time and use of secondary preventive medications still need further improvements.

An Educational and Skill-Building Intervention to Improve Symptom Recognition and Interpretation in Women With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

The type of symptoms that a woman experiences during an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event influences symptom recognition and interpretation. Women who experience intense, abrupt symptoms are more likely to correctly attribute symptoms to a cardiac etiology and seek care faster than women with less intense, intermittent symptoms.

OBJECTIVE

A single-group pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a nurse-delivered education and skill-building intervention designed to improve symptom recognition and interpretation in women with recurrent ACS symptoms.

METHODS

Women hospitalized for an ACS event received an individualized education and skill-building intervention that was conceptually framed by the investigator's previous research. Three in-person sessions were followed by 2 telephone sessions for reinforcement. Outcomes and acceptability were evaluated at close-out (approximately 2 months after the index event).

RESULTS

All but 2 women approached agreed to participate. Of the 10 women enrolled, 9 completed all study sessions within an average of 55 days. Mean knowledge scores increased by 7.4% measured by the ACS Response Index. Attitudes toward symptom recognition and help seeking increased by 2.4, whereas beliefs toward expectations and actions increased by 3.2. The women were pleased with the intervention (satisfaction scores averaging 1.4 on a 4-point Likert scale, with 1 as "strongly agree" and 4 as "strongly disagree"). All women who completed the study would recommend it to others.

CONCLUSION

The nurse-delivered intervention was feasible and acceptable to women in the study. Results support further testing and refinement of the intervention in a longitudinal randomized control study to determine efficacy and sustainability.

Factors influencing prehospital delay in patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and the impact of prehospital electrocardiogram

Background

In ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), prehospital delay is a significant factor, decreasing likelihood of revascularization and increasing mortality. Prehospital delays are substantive in Indian patients with STEMI. Our study aimed to investigate factors associated with prehospital delay in patients with STEMI.

Methods

A multicentric prospective analysis was conducted at five major cardiac care referral centers in Punjab including a tertiary care teaching hospital over a period of 1 year from January 2015 to December 2015. Patients presenting with STEMI were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to gather patient characteristics and factors responsible for prehospital delay.

Results

Of the 619 patients included in the study, 42% presented with more than 6 h of prehospital delay. On univariate analysis, delay was significantly higher among elderly (p = 0.01), illiterate patients (p = 0.02), and patients residing in rural areas (p = 0.04). Recognizing symptoms as cardiac in origin (p < 0.001), hospital as initial medical contact, and availability of prehospital electrocardiogram (ECG) (p = 0.001) were associated with shorter delays. On multivariate analysis, prehospital delay was significant in elderly patients, initial point of care as outpatient clinic, and patients without access to prehospital ECG.

Conclusion

Our study concludes that demographic and socioeconomic barriers exist that impede rapid care seeking and highlights the need for utilization of prehospital ECG to decrease prehospital delay. Possibilities include, educating the public on the importance of early emergency medical services contact or creating emergency stations in rural areas with ECG capabilities. Our study also invites further research, regarding role of telemedicine to triage patients derived from prehospital ECGs to decrease prehospital delay. Keywords: STEMI, Pre-hospital ECG, Pre-hospital delay, Factors, Telemedicine.

Gender differences in patient and system delay for primary percutaneous coronary intervention: current trends in a Swiss ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction population

Background:

Women with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) experience greater delays for percutaneous coronary intervention-facilitated reperfusion than men. Whether women and men benefit equally from current strategies to reduce ischaemic time and whether there are gender differences in factors determining delays is unclear.

Methods:

Patient delay (symptom onset to first medical contact) and system delay (first medical contact to percutaneous coronary intervention-facilitated reperfusion) were compared between women ( n=967) and men ( n=3393) in a Swiss STEMI treatment network. Trends from 2000 to 2016 were analysed, with additional comparisons between three time periods (2000–2005, 2006–2011 and 2012–2016). Factors predicting delays and hospital mortality were determined by multivariate regression modelling.

Results:

Female gender was independently associated with greater patient delay ( P=0.02 vs. men), accounting for a 12% greater total ischaemic time among women in 2012–2016 (median 215 vs. 192 minutes, P<0.001 vs. men). From 2000–2005 to 2012–2016, median system delay was reduced by 18 and 25 minutes in women and men, respectively ( P<0.0001 for trend, P=n.s. for gender difference). Total occlusion of the culprit artery, stent thrombosis, a Killip class of 3 or greater, and presentation during off-hours predicted delays in men, but not in women. A Killip class of 3 or greater and age, but not gender or delays, were independently associated with hospital mortality.

Conclusions:

STEMI-related ischaemic time in women remains greater than in men due to persistently greater patient delays. In contrast to men, clinical signs of ongoing chest discomfort do not predict delays in women, suggesting that female STEMI patients are less likely to attribute symptoms to a condition requiring urgent treatment.

A modeling-based narrative intervention to promote timely care-seeking in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A pilot randomized controlled trial and feasibility analysis

BACKGROUND

Prolonged delay in seeking medical attention for acute myocardial infarction persists as a global phenomenon, which limits effective disease management. The effects of previous mass-media campaigns and psycho-educations have been minimal.

AIMS

This study aimed to develop a modeling-based narrative intervention, and to examine its feasibility and preliminary effects on care-seeking behavioral intention in Chinese acute myocardial infarction patients.

METHODS

The modeling-based narrative intervention was developed by integrating updated research evidence and participants' perspectives. Ten patients were invited to co-design the intervention. The narrative approach was adopted to engage patients in a mental rehearsal of the decision-making process through a virtual acute myocardial infarction attack experience. A pilot randomized controlled trial was adopted to examine the feasibility and preliminary effects of this intervention.

RESULTS

A total of 67 participants were randomly allocated to receive either the modeling-based narrative intervention ( n=34) or didactic education ( n=33). The intervention was feasible and well-accepted by the participants as evidenced by high attendance and participant satisfaction. They considered the intervention as informative and interesting. The majority of the participants in the intervention group expressed that they enjoyed the intervention. Although the preliminary data showed non-significant between-group differences, a more prominent improving trend for acute myocardial infarction knowledge, care-seeking attitudes and beliefs in the intervention group were evident.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first of its kind to adopt a novel narrative approach to optimize care-seeking behaviors among patients with acute myocardial infarction. The preliminary findings showed that this approach was highly feasible and accepted by patients.

Emergency Medical Services Utilization and Outcomes of Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Lebanon

BACKGROUND

Arrival of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) results in shorter reperfusion times and lower mortality in developed countries.

OBJECTIVES

This study examines EMS use by STEMI patients in Lebanon and associated clinical outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study with chart review was carried out for STEMI patients arriving to the Emergency Department of a tertiary care center in Lebanon between January 1, 2013 and August 31, 2016. A descriptive analysis was done and followed by a bivariate analysis comparing two groups of patients (EMS vs. Non-EMS).

RESULTS

A total of 280 patients were included in the study. They were mostly male (71.8%). Mean age was 65.1 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 63.4-66.9). Only 12.5% (95% CI 8.6-16.4) presented by EMS. Chest pain (81.1%) was the most common presenting symptom. Anterior myocardial infarction was the most common electrocardiogram (ECG) diagnosis (51.4%). Most patients were admitted (98.2%), and 72.0% of these patients were treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Cardiogenic shock was the most frequent in-hospital complication (6.2%). The mortality rate was 7.1%. Mean door-to-ECG and door-to-balloon times were 10.8 (95% CI 7.1-14.4) min and 106.2 (95% CI 95.9-116.6) min, respectively. Patients' characteristics, presenting symptoms, outcomes, and performance metrics were similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

EMS is underutilized by STEMI patients in Lebanon and is not associated with improvement in clinical outcomes. Medical oversight and quality initiatives focusing on outcomes of patients with timely sensitive emergencies are needed to advance the prehospital care system in Lebanon.

Implementing myocardial infarction systems of care in low/middle-income countries

Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with an increasing trend from 6.1 million deaths in 1990 to 9.5 million in 2016, markedly driven by rates observed in low/middle-income countries (LMIC). Improvements in myocardial infarction (MI) care are crucial for reducing premature mortality. We aimed to evaluate the main challenges for adequate MI care in LMIC, and possible strategies to overcome these existing barriers.

Reperfusion is the cornerstone of MI treatment, but worldwide around 30% of patients are not reperfused, with even lower rates in LMIC. The main challenges are related to delays associated with patient education, late diagnosis and inadequate referral strategies, health infrastructure and insufficient funding. The implementation of regional MI systems of care in LMIC, systematising timely reperfusion strategies, access to intensive care, risk stratification and use of adjunctive medications have shown some successful strategies. Telemedicine support for remote ECG, diagnosis and organisation of referrals has proven to be useful, improving access to reperfusion even in prehospital settings. Organisation of transport and referral hubs based on anticipated delays and development of MI excellence centres have also resulted in better equality of care. Also, education of healthcare staff and task shifting may potentially widen access to optimal therapy.

In conclusion, efforts have been made for the implementation of MI systems of care in LMIC, aiming to address particularities of the health systems. However, the increasing impact of MI in these countries urges the development of further strategies to improve reperfusion and reduce system delays.

Association Between System Factors and Acute Myocardial Infarction Mortality

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the association between healthcare system factors and death from acute myocardial infarction (AMI), in terms of access (distance to the hospital, mode of transportation), availability (emergency medical services, hospitals), and capability (emergency medical services' 12-lead electrocardiogram capability, continuous percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] and cardiothoracic surgical services), after accounting for individual and environmental factors.

METHODS

Data on 14,663 deaths (in-hospital and out of hospital) and live hospital discharges as a result of AMI for 2012 and 2013 among Arkansas residents were obtained from the Arkansas Department of Health. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to account for nesting, in which an individual was nested within either a county or a hospital to evaluate the association of system factors with death from AMI.

RESULTS

Deaths from AMI were significantly associated with two system factors: a 9.2% increase in the odds of deaths from AMI for every 10-mi increase in distance to the nearest hospital (odds ratio 1.092, 95% confidence interval 1.009-1.181) and a 64% increase in the odds of death from AMI among hospitals without continuous PCI capability (odds ratio 1.64, 95% confidence interval 1.15-2.34), after adjusting for individual and environmental factors.

CONCLUSIONS

A higher risk of AMI deaths was associated with healthcare system factors, especially distance to nearest hospital, and hospitals' continuous PCI capability, even after adjusting for individual and environmental factors. A coordinated system of care approaches that mitigates gaps in these system factors may prevent death from AMI.