Ambulatory CV care in the US is improving – Cardiovascular Business

Maddox, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and co-authors evaluated 2013-2017 data from the registry, finding that in that time period, care processes for PINNACLE patients generally improved. For patients with heart failure, combined beta-blocker and renin-angiotensin antagonist medication rates rose from 60.7% to 72.8%, and among patients with CAD, statin medication rates increased from 66% to 80.1%. Those with atrial fibrillation saw a boost in oral anticoagulation ratesfrom 52.7% in 2013 to 65.2% in 2017though BP control rates among people with hypertension remained largely stagnant.

The data from 2013 to 2017 indicates that, in most cases, care is improving in PINNACLE Registry practices and becoming more standardized, the authors wrote. However, it also highlights areas where improvements should occur.

Each of the four CV conditions PINNACLE covers have their own set of care measures, but Maddox et al. said there are seven areas that have clear links to optimal clinical outcomes. They include:

Optimizing delivery of these measures would be a promising approach to improve cardiovascular outcomes, the team wrote. These insights can provide a national perspective on the quality of care for common conditions seen in ambulatory cardiovascular practices, inform clinical practice and policy and suggest future directions for quality improvement programs and research programs.

See original here:
Ambulatory CV care in the US is improving - Cardiovascular Business