Trends in the Care of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction at a University-Affiliated Veterans Afffairs Medical Center:

Background: Acute cardiac care of the veterans at Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals has been thought of as poor in quality. We examined the use of life-saving, evidence-based medical therapy in patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences-affiliated VA Medical Center in Little Rock and compared the use of this therapy with other hospitals in Arkansas and in the rest of the nation.Methods: Use of life-saving medical therapy in 117 patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction from January 2002 to December 2002 was compared with the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction database for the identical period.Results: Heparin/low-molecular-weight heparin and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors were used in 88% and 66% of patients, respectively. Aspirin, β adrenergic-blocking agents, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) were us...