OBJECTIVE: To investigate to what extent and by what methods clinicians assess left ventricular (LV) function after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and how the results of the assessments relate to the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors; furthermore, to explore which main indications caused the clinicians to initiate ACE inhibitor therapy. DESIGN: From 16 hospitals we drew a sample of patients who were discharged with the diagnosis of AMI during a 3-month period in 1999/2000. Physicians in each hospital obtained the observed rate of use of cardiovascular drugs at discharge and also information on ejection fraction (EF) measurements. The results of the EF recordings were classified into three categories: >0.50, 0.40-0.50 and 0.50, 95 (24%) EF 0.40-0.50 and 87 (21%) EF 0.50. The main indication for starting ACE inhibitor therapy was heart failure (50%) followed by secondary prevention (42%). CONCLUSION: Measuring EF appears to be an important tool in the evaluation of AMI patients prior to discharge from hospital. Initiation of ACE inhibitor therapy related strongly to the results of the assessments.
Notes
Comment In: Scand Cardiovasc J. 2003 Jun;37(3):122-312881150