[From clinical trial to registry: the PRIAMHO II registry].

In recent years there has been marked progress in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and, more specifically, in the case of the different clinical entities that are currently known as acute coronary syndrome. A key, and indispensable, factor in treating our patients has been the implementation of the concept of evidencebased medicine (EBM), used and recognized universally as the best clinical method for demonstrating the efficacy of any treatment. Evidence-based medicine has been defined as the consistent and sensible use of the best evidence derived from clinical research on making decisions regarding individualized patient care, taking “evidence” to mean that which is verified or confirmed. More simply, this involves applying the most effective medical treatments to maximize the quality and quantity of life of the patients. It is clear that randomized clinical trials provide the most robust scientific evidence we have regarding the efficacy of a therapeutic intervention. When conclusive clinical trials are unavailable, the level of evidence progressively decreases. In these cases, we use the information available, usually a metaanalysis (a statistical analysis that combines the results of different independent clinical trials, usually consisting of small samples, that are considered “combinable”) or observational studies, especially registries. Inasmuch as they refer to the treatment administered, registries are studies of effectiveness rather than efficacy, like clinical trials, and they assess the effect of such treatment in real life. There are several acute myocardial infarction (AMI) registries in Spain. The scope and duration of registries are different, making it possible to quite precisely From Clinical Trials to Registry: the PRIAMHO II Registry