The HEART score to identify emergency department patients suspected of an acute coronary syndrome who can be removed from cardiac monitoring: A retrospective chart review

Appropriateness and outcomes of hospitalized patients telemetry monitored for cardiac arrhythmias in accordance with the American Heart Association Practice Standards-A multicenter study

BACKGROUND

To the best of our knowledge, no prospective research studies have compared clinical practice to the American Heart Association (AHA) updated practice standards for in-hospital telemetry monitoring.

OBJECTIVES

Our aims were therefore (1) to investigate how patients were assigned to telemetry monitoring in accordance with the AHA's updated practice standards, (2) to determine the number and type of arrhythmic events, and (3) to describe subsequent changes in clinical management.

METHODS

This prospective multicenter study included 1154 patients at three university hospitals in Norway. Data were collected 24/7 over a four-week period, with follow-up measurements from telemetry admission until hospital discharge.

RESULTS

Of patients assigned to telemetry, 67 % (n = 767) met practice standards, corresponding to AHA Class I or II. Patients were predominantly men (65 %, n = 748), and the mean age was 65 years (SD ±16). The study included both patients with cardiac and non-cardiac diagnoses from various medical and surgical departments throughout the hospitals. Ninety-one percent of the patients in Class III were monitored based on indications that were reclassified from Class II to Class III (not indicated) in the updated practice standards (patients admitted with chest pain or post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) without complications). Overall, arrhythmic events occurred in 37 % (n = 424) of patients, and they occurred in all classes. Eighteen percent (n = 59) of arrhythmic events occurred in Class III. Of all arrhythmias, 3 % (n = 14) were life threatening, and all of them occurring within Class I. Telemetry monitoring led to changes in clinical management in 22 % (n = 257) of patients due to clinical alarms, of which 71 % (n = 182) were related to medication management.

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients were appropriately monitored according to the AHA practice standards, meeting Class I and II. Arrhythmias occurred in all classes, but life-threatening arrhythmias only occurred in patients in Class I. However, a daily re-assessment of each patient's telemetry indication is warranted.

Role of HEART score in prediction of coronary artery disease and major adverse cardiac events in patients presenting with chest pain

Introduction. Chest pain (CP) diagnostics accuracy remains debatable for both general practitioners (GP) or emergency department (ED) physicians for patients in HEART score (HS) low- and intermediate-risk groups which prompted us to review our electronic database for all patients admitted via our center?s ED during 2014 to 2020 for CP and suspect acute coronary syndrome. Methods. Patients were divided in function of low- or intermediate-risk HS and assessed during a three month follow up for angiogram results, MACE, lab results and echo parameters. Results. Of 585 patients included, low-risk HS group (21,4%, 36% were women) had significant coronary disease on angiogram in 68%, while for intermediate-risk HS group (78.6%, with 32.6% women) it was for 18.4% of patients (p < 0,0005). Area under the ROC curve of HS in detecting patients with ischemic heart disease as a cause of CP was 0.771 (95% CI:0.772-0.820) with best cut-off point HS was calculated at 3.5. Sensitivity and specificity were 89.2% and 57.6% respectively. Adjusting for sex, lab results and HS, AUROC curve of this model was 0.828 (95% CI:0.786-0.869; p < 0,0005) with cut-off of 77.95. Sensitivity and specificity were 84,9% and 68% respectively. In the three-month follow-up post-discharge, there was a significant difference in MACE between groups (low-vs. intermediate-risk HS was 3.4 vs. 16.7% p < 0.05). Conclusion. HS for our CP patients admitted via our ED by GP and ED physicians? referral, provides a quick and reliable prediction of ischemic heart disease and MACE.