scholarly journals A study of drug utilization pattern in post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients at tertiary care teaching hospital: a prospective unicentric study

Author(s):  
Vidhi Thaker ◽  
Kamlesh Patel

Background: The main objective of drug utilization research is to assess the rationality of drug use for specific disease. Long term survival in post-ACS patients depends largely on how well post ACS period is managed. Our aim is to record drug utilization pattern in post ACS patients after discharge and during follow-up visits.Methods: Prospective unicentric study was conducted in 200 patients suffering from ACS at Cardiology OPD of GCS Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Ahmedabad. Prescriptions issued to study subjects at the time of discharge and during follow-up who had recently suffered from ACS were intercepted after consultation and data recorded as per WHO guidelines as how to investigate drug use. Data were collected in the structured proforma (Case Record Form-CRF) which includes patient’s demographic details, registration number, diagnosis and the drug prescribed. Each prescription was analyzed using WHO core prescribing indicators to evaluate the rationality of the prescriptions.Results: Out of 200, 104 (52%) suffered from unstable angina, 84(42%) suffered from STEMI and 12(6%) were suffered with NSTEMI. Male patients of 114(57%) were more prone to ACS than female patients of 86 (43%). Out of 200 patients, 193 (97%) received antiplatelet, 187 (94%) received antihypertensive, 184 (92%) received anticoagulants, 180 (90%) received lipid lowering drugs and 119 (60%) received Nitrates. As per WHO core prescribing indicators, the average number of drugs encountered per prescription was 7.96. The prescription showed a high usage of drugs from NLEM i.e. 72.20% in post-ACS patients. However the percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was only 10.68%. The frequency of use of injectable preparations in post-ACS patients was found to be 17.84% which was in accordance with WHO reference value. Out of 17.84% injectable preparations, only 0.82% accounted for antibiotic injection.Conclusions: Although generic prescribing indicator shows a low range of usage, it is interesting to notice that prescription pattern has a high usage of drugs from NLEM (78.2%) in ACS. Thus present study provides valuable insight about the overall pattern of drugs used in post-Acute Coronary syndrome.

Author(s):  
Pompilio Faggiano ◽  
Giuseppe Patti ◽  
Stefania Cercone ◽  
Laura Canullo ◽  
Roberta Rossini ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: Patients suffering from an acute coronary syndrome are at very high risk for recurrent events. Early targeted pharmacological intervention primarily aimed at controlling plasma LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels can result in the reduction of recurrent cardiovascular events. This study aimed to evaluate real-life evidence from the Italian setting to document current practice of secondary prevention in patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS), specifically assessing: (i) the rate of LDL-C target (<70 mg/dl) achievement after 6-10 weeks from index event and at later follow-up, (ii) the distance from LDL-C target during follow up, (iii) adherence rate and visit attendance. METHODS Multicenter observational prospective clinical study ACS patients, evaluating target attainment rate at 6 weeks (V0) and 18 months (V2). RESULTS Approximately 97.4% patients enrolled (N=524) received statin-based therapy, and 3.6% received ezetimibe at discharge; mean LDL-C values decreased from 113.0±44.7 mg/dL at discharge to 71.3±26.5 mg/dl at V0. Among patients with known LDL-C for main time-points, 51.7% achieved target LDL-C at V0, 45.8% at V2. Among patients not reaching the target, the mean distance from target was 23.5±20.7 mg/dL. Attainment of target LDL-C was similar in patients receiving intensive or low-moderate statin-based treatment (approximately 50%). LDL-C target attainment was associated with lower LDL-C value at discharge and smoking status. Adherence to statin treatment was high (96.2%) throughout, similarly to medical appointment attendance at V2 (84.7%). CONCLUSION Despite most ACS patients receiving intensive statin-based regimens, only approximately half achieved LDL-C target, suggesting the need for further optimizing drug selection, combination and dosage. 


Author(s):  
Shuchisuta P. Pathy ◽  
Sachchidanand Pandey ◽  
Bhabagrahi Rath ◽  
Rinu Rani Dash

Background: Drug utilization research provides insights into different aspects of drug use and drug prescribing such as pattern, quality, determinants and outcomes of drug use. Polypharmacy is considered to be hazardous for the elderly, because of their greater vulnerability to drugs and multiple drug use. Prescription of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) has been found to be a common cause of morbidity and mortality among the geriatric population and has necessitated the creation of criteria for the safe use of medicines among them. Objectives of the study were to assess the drug utilization pattern in geriatric patients and analyse their prescriptions as per the World Health Organization (WHO) core prescribing indicators and STOPP and START criteria.Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2019 to August 2019 in inpatient department of general medicine of VIMSAR, Burla. Prescriptions of ≥65 year patients were collected and documented by active surveillance from the medicine ward.Results: Majority of the patients were in age group of 65-75. Stroke is the more common comorbidities among geriatric population. Average number of medication per prescription is 5.42. About 78.74% of drugs are injectable. The percentage of antibiotics prescribed to patient is 27.75%. Based on STOPP criteria potentially inappropriate medications PIM is 7% and START criteria PIM is 29%.Conclusions: Our study suggests that prevalence of polypharmacy was high which is usually unavoidable in geriatric patients and less PIM is suggestive of adherence to WHO core prescribing indicators, and prescription of drugs as per STOPP and START guidelines are indicative of scope for improvement.


2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (8) ◽  
pp. 296-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Győző Dani ◽  
László Márk ◽  
András Katona

Authors aimed to assess how target values in serum lipid concentrations (LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride) can be achieved in patients with a history of acute coronary syndrome during follow up in an outpatient cardiology clinic. Methods: 201 patients with a history of acute coronary syndrome were included and were followed up between January 1 and May 31, 2007.Authors analyzed serum lipid parameters of the patients and the lipid-lowering medications at the time of the first meeting and during follow up lasting two years. Results: During the enrollment visit only 26.4% of the patients had serum LDL cholesterol at target level, whereas high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol levels were observed in 40.3% and 33.3% of the patients, respectively. Only 22 patients (10.9%) achieved the target levels in all three lipid parameters. Of the 201 patients, 179 patients participated in the follow up, and data obtained from these patients were analyzed. There was a positive trend toward better lipid parameters; 42.5% of the patients reached the desired LDL-cholesterol target value and 17.3% of the patients had HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides target values. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with those published in the literature. Beside the currently used therapeutic options for achieving optimal LDL-cholesterol, efforts should be made to reduce the so-called “residual cardiovascular risk” with the use of a widespread application of combination therapy. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 296–302.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 253
Author(s):  
Tomoaki Okada ◽  
Toru Miyoshi ◽  
Masayuki Doi ◽  
Kosuke Seiyama ◽  
Wataru Takagi ◽  
...  

Despite intensive lipid-lowering interventions, patients treated with statins develop atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and these patients have an increased risk of developing recurrent cardiovascular events during follow-up. Therefore, there is a need to focus on the residual risks in patients in statin therapy to further reduce ASCVD. The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the 10-year trend (2011–2019) regarding changes in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a single center. We included 686 men and 203 women with ACS admitted to Kagawa Prefectural Central Hospital. Plasma PUFAs, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA), were measured at admission for suspected ACS. A secular decreasing trend in the levels of EPA and DHA and the EPA/AA ratio, but not of AA and DGLA, was observed. The analyses based on age (>70 or <70 years) and sex showed that the decreasing trend in the levels of EPA and DHA did not depend on age and remained significant only in men. Further studies are needed to obtain robust evidence to justify that the administration of n-3 PUFA contributes to the secondary prevention of ACS.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Bruckert ◽  
G Desamericq ◽  
A Khachatryan ◽  
P Ngo ◽  
G Gusto ◽  
...  

Abstract Background introduction Many patients, especially those at very high cardiovascular (CV) risk, do not reach low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets for at least 2 reasons: they may not receive a sufficiently intensive regimen, and/or they may not adhere to their medication. Purpose Describe demographic, clinical characteristics and treatment intensity and adherence in patients on lipid lowering therapies (LLT) following an Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) in France. Methods Retrospective cohort study on the PGRx (the Pharmacoepidemiologic General Research eXtension program)-ACS dataset in France, with data collected retrospective and prospectively via physicians, prescription records and patient interviews. Patients were accrued prospectively and/or retrospectively by centres from the PGRx Cardiology and General Practitioners networks. We included adult patients (≥18 years) suffering an ACS between 2013 and 2016 who received LLT at or within 92 days of their ACS hospital discharge. Follow-up was censored at time of new CV event, death, lost to follow-up or interview date (mean duration 12.4 months). Outcomes of interest included LLT intensity (high, moderate and low intensity statins with or without ezetimibe) and adherence measured as proportion of days covered (PDC). Results 2695 eligible patients were included (77% men); mean age (SD) 63.1 (12.8), 18% had diabetes mellitus, mean (SD) LDL-C 112.1 (46.4) mg/dl. Treatment with LLT at discharge is summarised in table below. Age and baseline LDL-C were drivers of treatment intensity with higher proportion of patients on high intensity statins in younger patients and in those with higher baseline LDL-C. Overall 70% of patients were adherent (PDC≥80%). Patients on moderate intensity were more adherent (76%) than those on low (63%) or high intensity statins (67%). Treatment patterns with LLT after an ACS LLT following ACS N (%) PDC at 1 year, Mean (SD) Adherent, N (%) Not Adherent, N (%) Ezetimibe 34 (1.3%) 82.8% (31.3%) 26 (76.5%) 8 (23.5%) Low intensity statins 64 (2.4%) 74.8% (33.8%) 40 (62.5%) 24 (37.5%) Moderate intensity statins 993 (37.1%) 82.0% (30.9%) 751 (75.6%) 242 (24.4%) High intensity statins 1515 (56.6%) 74.6% (36.2%) 1007 (66.5%) 508 (33.5%) Statin + ezetimibe 59 (2.2%) 75.9% (34.7%) 40 (67.8%) 19 (32.2%) Overall 2695 (100%) 77.6% (34.3%) 1871 (69.9%) 807 (30.1%) Conclusion(s) Our data show a substantial proportion of patients in France are not treated with high intensity statins after an ACS despite guidelines recommendation. Adherence to LLT is acceptable in patients after an ACS although it appears to worsen when high intense statins are used Acknowledgement/Funding Study has been funded by Amgen GmbH


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Nakawaza ◽  
H Arashi ◽  
H Nomura ◽  
E Kawada-Watanabe ◽  
M Ogiso ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially omega-3 and -6 series, are key essential nutrients that play an important role in humans to maintain cell membranes and function. A recent randomized trial reported that adding eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to statins was beneficial to cardiovascular disease patients who had a residual risk factor. Further, several studies have reported that the low baseline value for EPA to arachidonic acid (AA) ratio is related to worse clinical outcome and plaque vulnerability in coronary artery disease patients. However, effects of baseline EPA/AA ratio on clinical outcomes in ACS patients have not been thoroughly evaluated. Objectives This study aimed to examine the impact of baseline eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid (EPA/AA) ratio on clinical outcomes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients and how lipid-lowering therapy affects serum EPA/AA levels in these patients. Methods This is a sub-analysis of HIJ-PROPER assessing the effect of aggressive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering treatment with pitavastatin+ezetimibe in 1,734 ACS patients with dyslipidemia. Patients were divided into two groups based on EPA/AA level on admission (cut-off: 0.34 μg/mL; median of baseline EPA/AA level) and clinical outcomes were examined. Results Percent reduction of LDL-C from baseline to follow-up and mean LDL-C level during follow-up were similar regardless of baseline EPA/AA ratio. In the low EPA/AA group, the Kaplan–Meier estimate for the primary endpoint at 3 years was 27.2% in the pitavastatin+ezetimibe group, compared with 36.6% in the pitavastatin-monotherapy group [hazard ratio (HR), 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.52–0.93; P=0.015). However, in the high EPA/AA group, there was no significant reduction in the primary endpoint by pitavastatin+ezetimibe therapy (HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.70–1.20; P=0.52). Conclusions Aggressive lipid-lowering therapy with ezetimibe had a positive effect on clinical outcomes in the low EPA/AA group of ACS patients with dyslipidemia, but not in the high EPA/AA group. This effect was independent of LDL-C reduction and suggests that EPA/AA measurement on admission in ACS patients contributes to a “personalized” lipid-lowering approach.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Sulzgruber ◽  
H Sinkovec ◽  
N Kazem ◽  
F Hofer ◽  
A Hammer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Secondary prevention after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) mirrors a key position in the reduction of morbidity and mortality in this highly vulnerable patient population. Especially lipid lowering therapy – via high-intensity statins (atorvastatin and rosuvastatin) – proved to be one of the most beneficial therapeutic approaches for the reduction of re-events and stent thrombosis. However, profound epidemiological measures on adherence to statin intake after ACS remain scare, but seem of major importance in terms of preventing fatal cardiac adverse events. Therefore, we aimed to investigate adherence to high-intensity statin therapy after ACS and its impact on patient outcome from an Austrian nationwide perspective. Methods Within this population-based national observation all patients presenting with ACS between 04/2011 and 8/2015 in Austria were enrolled. Patient characteristics and co-morbidities were assessed via the Austrian national health insurance system and elucidated according to ICD10 definitions. Adherence to high-intensity statins was investigated according to handing in prescriptions for rosuvastatin and atorvastatin at local pharmacies. Patients were followed prospectively until the primary study endpoint (=mortality) was reached. Cox Regression hazard analysis was used to investigate the impact of non-adherence to high-intensity statin therapy on patient outcome and was adjusted for a comprehensive subset of confounders within the multivariate model. Results During the observation period a total of 23.240 patients (median age: 65 years [55–75]; male: 67.7% [n=15.728]) met the inclusion criteria. Individuals that died during the index event (n=366; 1.6%), presented with a re-ACS (n=569; 2.4%) or were lost during follow-up (n=158; 0.6%) were not included within the final analysis. Of alarming importance 66.4% (n=15.422) of all patients presenting with ACS did not take high-intensity statins as recommended by current guidelines. The highest rate of drug interruption/end of therapy was observed within the first month after the index event with more than 50% of all cases. During patient follow-up until 01/2018 a total of 3522 (15.2%) individuals died. Non-adherence to high-intensity statins had a strong an independent association with mortality with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.16 (95% CI: 1.06–1.25; p&lt;0.001) (see Figure 1). Conclusion The present nationwide investigation highlighted an overall low adherence to high-intensity statins after ACS, with the highest interruption/end of therapy rate within the first month after the index event. Since the intake of high-intensity statins after ACS was associated with a 14% risk reduction for fatal cardiovascular events during the observation period, awareness in terms of drug-adherence and intensified patient follow-up should be promoted, in order to prevent fatal atherothrombotic events. Figure 1. Cumulative mortality Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


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