Impact of availability and use of coronary interventions on the prescription of aspirin and lipid lowering treatment after acute coronary syndromes.

BACKGROUND It has been suggested that patients undergoing acute intervention for coronary syndromes may not receive adequate secondary prevention. OBJECTIVE To analyse the impact of availability and use of coronary interventions on the prescription of secondary prevention after acute coronary syndromes. DESIGN Analysis of a prospective multicentre register of patients admitted to hospital for acute coronary syndromes. SETTING A 1999 pan-European survey in 390 hospitals. PATIENTS 3092 patients admitted to hospital with acute coronary syndromes (including 777 for ST elevation myocardial infarction within 12 hours of onset). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Rates of prescription of aspirin and lipid lowering agents. RESULTS Performance of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) during the hospital stay were independent predictors of prescription of aspirin at discharge (odds ratio (OR) 1.29 and 1.89, p = 0.053 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Lipid lowering agents were prescribed more often on discharge in patients admitted to hospitals with catheterisation laboratories than without (for infarction with ST elevation, 45% v 40% (NS); for other acute coronary syndromes, 46% v 36%; p < 0.05). Prescription rates were higher among patients undergoing coronary angiography or PCI than in those treated conservatively (for infarction with ST elevation, 49%, 53%, and 39%, p < 0.05; for other acute coronary syndromes, 50%, 54%, and 34%, p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that PCI was an independent predictor of prescription of lipid lowering agents at discharge (OR 1.48, p < 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS Contrary to expectations, invasive procedures for acute coronary syndromes are associated with higher rates of prescription of pharmacological secondary prevention.