Guideline-recommended Medications Research Articles

44 Trends in Management of Chronic Kidney Disease among Adults with Diabetes, NHANES 1988-2020

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects nearly 40% of adults with diabetes. Our objective is to assess trends in risk factor control and use of 2022 ADA and KDIGO guideline-recommended medications. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Using data from 1988 to 2020 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we will examine trends in sociodemographic risk factors and glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid control among adults with CKD and diabetes. Glycemic control will be defined as a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)<7%, blood pressure control will be examined at cutoffs of 130/80 and 120/80 mmHg, and lipid control will be defined as a fasting triglyceride level ≥150 mg/dL, a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) <100 mg/dL without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), or LDL<70 mg/dL if they have ASCVD. We will assess changes in the use of commonly used antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and lipid-lowering medications. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We hypothesize that from 1988-2020, blood pressure control has improved while glycemic and lipid control has not improved among adults with diabetes and CKD. We expect decreases in sulfonylurea use and increases in DPP-4 inhibitor, metformin, ACE inhibitor, angiotensin receptor blocker, statin, and insulin use over time among those with diabetes and CKD. In addition, there is likely a significant gap between those who are eligible to use newer medications like SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP-1 receptor agonists and who are currently using them within this subpopulation. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study will examine adherence to guideline-recommended management and identify gaps in care for adults with CKD and diabetes, which may inform how best to optimize medication use for cardiorenal protection in this high-risk patient population.

Evidence for clinician underprescription of and patient non-adherence to guideline-recommended cardiovascular medications among adults with peripheral artery disease: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionInternational guidelines recommend that adults with peripheral artery disease (PAD) be prescribed antiplatelet, statin and antihypertensive medications. However, it is unclear how often people with PAD are underprescribed these drugs,...

Effect of Intensive Nurse-Led Optimization of Heart Failure Medications in Patients With Heart Failure: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Prescribing of recommended medications for heart failure (HF) is suboptimal, leaving patients at a high risk of death or rehospitalization post discharge. Nurse-led titration (NLT) clinics are one strategy that could potentially improve the prescription of these medications. The aim of this article was to determine the effect of NLT clinics on all-cause mortality, all-cause or HF rehospitalizations, and adverse effects in patients with HF. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov to identify randomized controlled trials comparing NLT of β-blocking agents, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and/or angiotensin receptor blockers to optimization by another health professional in patients with HF. We used the fixed-effects Mantel-Haenszel method or meta-analyses. We assessed heterogeneity between studies using χ2 and I2. Eight studies with 2025 participants were included. Participants in the NLT group experienced a lower rate of all-cause rehospitalizations (relative risk, 0.76, 95% confidence interval, 0.68-0.85; moderate quality of evidence) and less HF-related rehospitalizations (relative risk, 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.33-0.66; high quality of evidence) compared with the usual care group. All-cause mortality was lower in the NLT group (relative risk, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.48-0.92; moderate quality of evidence) compared with the usual care group. Authors of one study reported no adverse events, and another study found one adverse event. This meta-analysis indicates that NLT clinics may improve optimization of guideline-recommended medications with the potential to reduce rehospitalization and improve survival in a cohort of patients known for their poor outcomes.

Mortality and Lithium-Protective Effects after First-Episode Mania Diagnosis in Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwan

Introduction: This study aimed to estimate all-cause mortality in patients after a first-episode mania (FEM) and examine whether six guideline-recommended medications can reduce mortality. Methods: The cohort included population-based FEM samples and matched controls from Taiwan, spanning 2007 to 2018. The primary outcomes assessed were all-cause/suicide-related mortality, while the secondary outcome focused on mortality associated with pharmacological treatments. We compared mortality in post-FEM patients and age-/sex-matched controls without any diagnosed bipolar disorders and patients with and without psychopharmacological treatment using Cox regression analysis, respectively. Statistics were presented with time-to-event adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The study included 54,092 post-FEM patients and 270,460 controls, totaling 2,467,417 person-years of follow-up. Post-FEM patients had higher risks of all-cause mortality (AHR 2.38, 95% CI: 2.31–2.45) and suicide death (10.80, 5.88–19.84) than controls. Lithium (0.62, 0.55–0.70), divalproex (0.89, 0.83–0.95), and aripiprazole (0.81, 0.66–1.00) were associated with reduced all-cause mortality compared to non-users. There were no significant all-cause mortality differences for quetiapine (0.95, 0.89–1.01), risperidone (0.92, 0.82–1.02), and paliperidone (1.24, 0.88–1.76) users. When accounting for drug action onset times in sensitivity analyses, only lithium significantly reduced all-cause mortality (AHR range 0.65–0.72). There were 35 and 16 suicide deaths in post-FEM patients and controls, respectively. No drug had a significant effect on suicide deaths (lithium: 6; divalproex: 7; aripiprazole: 0; quetiapine: 10; risperidone: 4; paliperidone: 1). Conclusion: Post-FEM patients had a higher risk of all-cause/suicide-related mortality, and lithium treatment might reduce all-cause mortality.

The Financial Burden of Guideline-recommended Cancer Medications for Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma

Bladder cancer is a significant global health concern owing to its prevalence, negative impact on quality of life, and high treatment costs. Treatment for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) traditionally relies on platinum-based chemotherapy regimens. However, clinical trial results have led to the approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as viable treatment options. We assessed the escalating costs and economic viability of mUC treatment guidelines in Europe. We used a pragmatic approach that involved: (1) collection of the costs of the recommended medications in the five most populous European countries; (2) conversion of the costs into international dollars to account for differences in purchasing power parity among countries; (3) evaluation of the cost trends over time; and (4) comparison of the medication costs to World Health Organization thresholds. Introduction of ICIs in European guidelines substantially increased the cost of medications for mUC. Intriguingly, important differences across European countries emerged: the annual cost of medications was twofold higher in Italy than in France and the UK. Despite limitations, our study sheds light on the escalating costs and economic challenges of mUC treatment, and highlights the need for assessments of sustainable and cost-effective management approaches. Patient summaryWe looked at the costs of treatments for metastatic bladder cancer and found that costs have been rising over time, especially with the introduction of new immune therapies, with notable differences among European countries. While these new treatments improve patient outcomes, they also come with a high price tag, which could strain health care budgets. Our results suggest that cost-effectiveness studies will be essential in determining the best and most sustainable treatment strategies in the future.

Efficacy of eHealth Technologies on Medication Adherence in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Suboptimal adherence to cardiac pharmacotherapy, recommended by the guidelines after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been recognized and is associated with adverse outcomes. Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that eHealth technologies are useful in reducing cardiovascular risk factors. However, little is known about the effect of eHealth interventions on medication adherence in patients following ACS. The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy of the eHealth interventions on medication adherence to selected 5 cardioprotective medication classes in patients with ACS. A systematic literature search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted between May and October 2022, with an update in October 2023 to identify RCTs that evaluated the effectiveness of eHealth technologies, including texting, smartphone apps, or web-based apps, to improve medication adherence in patients after ACS. The risk of bias was evaluated using the modified Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for RCTs. A pooled meta-analysis was performed using a fixed-effect Mantel-Haenszel model and assessed the medication adherence to the medications of statins, aspirin, P2Y12 inhibitors, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, and β-blockers. We identified 5 RCTs, applicable to 4100 participants (2093 intervention vs 2007 control), for inclusion in the meta-analysis. In patients who recently had an ACS, compared to the control group, the use of eHealth intervention was not associated with improved adherence to statins at different time points (risk difference [RD] -0.01, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.03 at 6 months and RD -0.02, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.02 at 12 months), P2Y12 inhibitors (RD -0.01, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.02 and RD -0.01, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.02), aspirin (RD 0.00, 95% CI -0.06 to 0.07 and RD -0.00, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.06), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (RD -0.01, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.02 and RD 0.01, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.05), and β-blockers (RD 0.00, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.03 and RD -0.01, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.03). The intervention was also not associated with improved adherence irrespective of the adherence assessment method used (self-report or objective). This review identified limited evidence on the effectiveness of eHealth interventions on adherence to guideline-recommended medications after ACS. While the pooled analyses suggested a lack of effectiveness of such interventions on adherence improvement, further studies are warranted to better understand the role of different eHealth approaches in the post-ACS context.

National Trends in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Use of Recommended Therapies in Adults with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, 1999-2020

Despite efforts to improve the quality of care for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), it is unclear whether the US has made progress in reducing racial and ethnic differences in utilization of guideline-recommended therapies for secondary prevention. To evaluate 21-year trends in racial and ethnic differences in utilization of guideline-recommended pharmacological medications and lifestyle modifications among US adults with ASCVD. This cross-sectional study includes data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2020. Eligible participants were adults aged 18 years or older with a history of ASCVD. Data were analyzed between March 2022 and May 2023. Self-reported race and ethnicity. Rates and racial and ethnic differences in the use of guideline-recommended pharmacological medications and lifestyle modifications. The study included 5218 adults with a history of ASCVD (mean [SD] age, 65.5 [13.2] years, 2148 women [weighted average, 44.2%]), among whom 1170 (11.6%) were Black, 930 (7.7%) were Hispanic or Latino, and 3118 (80.7%) were White in the weighted sample. Between 1999 and 2020, there was a significant increase in total cholesterol control and statin use in all racial and ethnic subgroups, and in angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) utilization in non-Hispanic White individuals and Hispanic and Latino individuals (Hispanic and Latino individuals: 17.12 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.37-37.88 percentage points; P = .046; non-Hispanic White individuals: 12.14 percentage points; 95% CI, 6.08-18.20 percentage points; P < .001), as well as smoking cessation within the Hispanic and Latino population (-27.13 percentage points; 95% CI, -43.14 to -11.12 percentage points; P = .002). During the same period, the difference in smoking cessation between Hispanic and Latino individuals and White individuals was reduced (-24.85 percentage points; 95% CI, -38.19 to -11.51 percentage points; P < .001), but racial and ethnic differences for other metrics did not change significantly. Notably, substantial gaps persisted between current care and optimal care throughout the 2 decades of data analyzed. In the period of 2017 to 2020, optimal regimens were observed in 47.4% (95% CI, 39.3%-55.4%), 48.7% (95% CI, 36.7%-60.6%), and 53.0% (95% CI, 45.6%-60.4%) of Black, Hispanic and Latino, and White individuals, respectively. In this cross-sectional study of US adults with ASCVD, significant disparities persisted between current care and optimal care, surpassing any differences observed among demographic groups. These findings highlight the critical need for sustained efforts to bridge these gaps and achieve better outcomes for all patients, regardless of their racial and ethnic backgrounds.

People with CKD in cardiovascular trials: a neglected population? A systematic review and evidence map

Abstract Background People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a markedly higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Systematic underrepresentation of people with CKD in cardiovascular randomised controlled trials (RCTs) limits evidence to guide cardiovascular risk management (CVRM). Purpose In this systematic review we aimed to identify evidence gaps regarding CVRM medication for people with CKD and evaluated the prevalence of exclusion of people with CKD from cardiovascular RCTs. Method We searched Clinicaltrials.gov through the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception until October 2021. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigate the efficacy of guideline-recommended CVRM medications on (cardiovascular) mortality, cardiovascular morbidity, and end-stage kidney disease in adults with a history of cardiovascular disease or one or more major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Two reviewers independently determined the eligibility of references and extracted data. Outcomes were an overview of studies that report results for people with CKD, evidence gaps in results, and the rate of exclusion of people with CKD. Results We included 1180 of the 2794 eligible RCTs involving 2,158,869 participants (mean age 63±6 years, 36% female). Overall, 841 (71%) RCTs excluded (subgroups of) people with CKD based on heterogenous exclusion criteria. Since 2000, this prevalence has increased from 70% to 75%. Of included RCTs, only 157 (13%) reported results for people with CKD (again in heterogenous subgroups). The prevalence of RCTs with results for people with CKD has increased since 2000 from 10% to 23%. Nevertheless, significant evidence gaps remain for most CVRM interventions, particularly for those with an eGFR &amp;lt;30 ml/min/1.73m2 (22 RCTs), and people who are treated with dialysis (14 RCTs) or received a kidney transplant (1 RCTs). Conclusion(s) The majority of cardiovascular RCTs continues to exclude (subgroups of) people with CKD and this has only increased over the years. Although more RCTs report results for people with CKD, evidence gaps for the efficacy most CVRM medications persist, particularly for those with severe CKD.Figure 1:Heat map (subgroup) analyses for MACE for people with different stages CKD. Panel A illustrates analyses for hypertension, panel B for antiplatelets and anticoagulants, panel C for cholesterol-lowering drugs, panel D for glucose-lowering drugs, and panel E for combinations of interventions.

Heart rate reduction and outcomes in heart failure outpatients

Abstract Aim Pharmacologic reduction of heart rate (HR) with beta blockers (BB) and/or ivabradine has been associated with improved survival in patients with heart failure (HF) in sinus rhythm. We analyzed the impact of different HR-reducing drug treatments on outcomes in a cohort of outpatients with heart failure (HF). Methods Consecutive patients with HF and sinus rhythm (SR) referred to a specialized tertiary HF service offering advanced therapy options including assist device and heart transplantation were prospectively enrolled from August 2015 until March 2018. Clinical characteristics were assessed at baseline. We performed Cox regression analyses to examine the effect of the resting HR and the drug regimen (BB in submaximal dose [group 1], BB in maximum tolerated dose [group 2], or BB in maximum tolerated dose plus ivabradine [group 3]) on all-cause mortality and a combined, disease-related endpoint of "death from any cause or heart transplantation". Results Of 278 patients included, 213 (76.6%) were male. Median age was 57.0 years (interquartile range 49.0-66.1). HF was due to non-ischemic origin in 167 patients (60.1%). HFrEF was present in 185 patients (73.7%). There was a decent use of guideline-recommended HF medication (MRA in 82%, RAS blocker [ARNI/ACEI/ARB] in 97%). Most patients received treatment with a BB in submaximal [n = 118, group 1], or maximum tolerated dose [n = 136, group 2]. Patients treated with BB in maximum tolerated dose plus ivabradine [n = 24, group 3] were younger (53.0 vs. 58.0 years) and had a lower left-ventricular ejection fraction on echocardiography (EF, 25 vs. 31%) than those without ivabradine. Over a mean follow-up period of 3.1 years, 30 patients died, and 11 underwent heart transplantation. Upon regression analyses, higher resting HR was associated with an increased risk of death or heart transplantation (hazard ratio HR 1.03 [1.01, 1.06], p = 0.0072, even after adjusting for age and sex. Neither the type of heart rate-reducing therapy (BB with or without ivabradine), nor the dose of BB or ivabradine affected outcome. Conclusion Our prospective study underlines the importance of heart rate reduction in HF with SR but failed to demonstrate a better risk reduction in patients with up-titrated BB doses or on a combination of BB plus ivabradine.Study profileKM-curves for the composite endpoint

Use of Guideline-Recommended Medication Therapy in a High-Risk CKD Population in the Kidney CHAMP Trial

Use of Guideline-Recommended Medication Therapy in a High-Risk CKD Population in the Kidney CHAMP Trial

A cardiovascular polypill for secondary stroke prevention in a tertiary centre in Ghana (SMAART): a phase 2 randomised clinical trial

A cardiovascular polypill containing generic drugs might facilitate sustained implementation of and adherence to evidence-based treatments, especially in resource-limited settings. However, the impact of a cardiovascular polypill in mitigating atherosclerotic risk among stroke survivors has not been assessed. We aimed to compare a polypill regimen with usual care on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) regression after ischaemic stroke. In SMAART, a phase 2 parallel, open-label, assessor-masked, randomised clinical trial, we randomly allocated individuals (aged ≥18 years) who had an ischaemic stroke within the previous 2 months, using a computer-generated randomisation sequence (1:1), to either a polypill or usual care group at a tertiary centre in Ghana. The polypill regimen was a fixed-dose pill containing 5 mg ramipril, 50 mg atenolol, 12·5 mg hydrochlorothiazide, 20 mg simvastatin, and 100 mg aspirin administered as two capsules once per day for 12 months. Usual care was tailored guideline-recommended secondary prevention medications. The primary outcome was the change in CIMT over 12 months with adjustment for baseline values, compared using ANCOVA in all participants with complete data at month 12. Safety was analysed in all randomly assigned participants. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03329599, and is completed. Between Feb 12, 2019, and Dec 4, 2020, we randomly assigned 148 participants (74 to the usual care group and 74 to the polypill group), 74 (50%) of whom were male and 74 (50%) female. CIMT was assessed in 62 (84%) of 74 participants in the usual care group and 59 (80%) of 74 participants in the polypill group; the main reason for loss to follow-up was participants not completing the study. The mean CIMT change at month 12 was -0·092 mm (95% CI -0·130 to -0·051) in the usual care group versus -0·017 mm (-0·067 to 0·034) in the polypill group, with an adjusted mean difference of 0·049 (-0·008 to 0·109; p=0·11). Serious adverse events occurred among two (3%) participants in the usual care group, and eight (11%) participants in the polypill group (p=0·049). The polypill regimen resulted in similar regression in subclinical atherosclerosis and many secondary and tertiary outcome measures as the tailored drug regimen, but with more serious adverse events. Larger, longer-term, event-based studies, including patients with stroke in primary care settings, are warranted. US National Institutes of Health. For the Akan (Twi) translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

#4368 THE PERSISTENT UNDERREPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN CARDIOVASCULAR TRIALS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND EVIDENCE MAP

Abstract Background and Aims People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a markedly higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Systematic underrepresentation of people with CKD in cardiovascular randomised controlled trials (RCTs) limits evidence to guide cardiovascular risk management (CVRM). In this systematic review we aimed to identify evidence gaps regarding CVRM medication for people with CKD and evaluated the prevalence of exclusion of people with CKD from cardiovascular RCTs. Method We searched Clinicaltrials.gov through the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception until October 2021. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigate the efficacy of guideline-recommended CVRM medications on (cardiovascular) mortality, cardiovascular morbidity, and end-stage kidney disease in adults with a history of cardiovascular disease or one or more major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Two reviewers independently determined the eligibility of references and extracted data. Outcomes were an overview of studies that report results for people with CKD, evidence gaps in results, and the rate of exclusion of people with CKD. Results We included 1180 of the 2794 eligible RCTs involving 2,158,869 participants (mean age 63±6 years, 36% female). Overall, 841 (71%) RCTs excluded (subgroups of) people with CKD based on heterogenous exclusion criteria. Since 2000, this prevalence has increased from 70% to 75%. Of included RCTs, only 157 (13%) reported results for people with CKD (again in heterogenous subgroups). The prevalence of RCTs with results for people with CKD has increased since 2000 from 10% to 23%. Nevertheless, significant evidence gaps remain for most CVRM interventions, particularly for those with an eGFR &amp;lt;30 ml/min/1.73m2 (22 RCTs), and people who are treated with dialysis (14 RCTs) or received a kidney transplant (1 RCTs). Conclusion The majority of cardiovascular RCTs continues to exclude (subgroups of) people with CKD and this has only increased over the years. Although more RCTs report results for people with CKD, evidence gaps for the efficacy most CVRM medications persist, particularly for those with severe CKD.

Improved adherence to guideline-recommended treatments in a specialist preventative pharmacology clinic compared to standard cardiology clinics after an acute coronary syndrome

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): West Midlands Academic Health Science Network. Background After an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), there is a persistent ~10% risk of recurrent ACS or death in the following year and a further ~10% risk between years 1-4. Several more recent guideline-recommended treatments that could reduce this risk (Knuuti et al 2019) and may be under-utilised. Some of these, such as long-term dual antithrombotic therapy, are recommended for patients with high cardiovascular risk. Others benefit patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP1 agonists), hypercholesterolaemia (ezetimibe and PCSK9 inhibitors) or heart failure (mineralocorticoid antagonists and sacubitril/valsartan in addition to ACE inhibitors and beta blockers). Methods We were recently awarded funding from the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (UK) to introduce a new advanced secondary prevention clinic that focusses on more recent medications with recommendations from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE NG185 and relevant technology appraisals) and the ESC. In an audit we compared use of medications in the prevention clinic (n=57) with similar patients with prior ACS seen in standard cardiology clinics (n=109) between 2020-21 in our National Health Service (NHS) Trust (Fig 1.). Results Assessment of eligibility for medications was complex, but showed similar eligibility in prevention clinics and standard clinics. Patients were uniformly eligible for statins and ACE inhibitors, whereas NICE and ESC guidelines in some cases disagreed on eligibility of individual patients for dual antithrombotic therapy, beta blockers and ezetimibe. Use of treatments with definitive guideline recommendations from both NICE and ESC was determined for each patient (Fig 1). There was significantly higher adherence to these definitive recommendations in prevention vs. standard clinics (Fig 1), including SGLT2 inhibitors/GLP1 agonists (17/18 [94%] vs. 5/29 [17%]; P&amp;lt;0.001), PCSK9 inhibitors (3/3 [100%] vs. 0/6 [0%]; P=0.01), ezetimibe (23/25 [92%] vs. 11/48 [23%]; P&amp;lt;0.001], long-term dual antithrombotic therapy (22/23 [96%] vs. 3/31 [10%]; P&amp;lt;0.001]) and statins at a recommended dose (52/53 [98%] vs. 82/101 [81%]; P&amp;lt;0.001. Peer consultation identified several barriers to use of medications: complexity of treatment algorithms (which often differ between guidelines); need for personalisation (the audit identified &amp;gt;50 unique combinations of recommended treatments for individual patients); complex risk assessments; and time constraints in gathering data to assess eligibility the medications (often takes &amp;gt;5 min), exacerbated by high patient volume. Conclusions Several guideline-recommended medications with established cardiovascular benefit were under-utilised in standard clinics after ACS. Specialist preventative cardiology clinics can optimise utilisation of these medications, which has the potential to reduce the risk of further major adverse cardiovascular events. Innovative solutions are needed to scale this further.

Identifying Reasons for Statin Nonuse in Patients With Diabetes Using Deep Learning of Electronic Health Records.

Background Statins are guideline-recommended medications that reduce cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes. Yet, statin use is concerningly low in this high-risk population. Identifying reasons for statin nonuse, which are typically described in unstructured electronic health record data, can inform targeted system interventions to improve statin use. We aimed to leverage a deep learning approach to identify reasons for statin nonuse in patients with diabetes. Methods and Results Adults with diabetes and no statin prescriptions were identified from a multiethnic, multisite Northern California electronic health record cohort from 2014 to 2020. We used a benchmark deep learning natural language processing approach (Clinical Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) to identify statin nonuse and reasons for statin nonuse from unstructured electronic health record data. Performance was evaluated against expert clinician review from manual annotation of clinical notes and compared with other natural language processing approaches. Of 33 461 patients with diabetes (mean age 59±15 years, 49% women, 36% White patients, 24% Asian patients, and 15% Hispanic patients), 47% (15 580) had no statin prescriptions. From unstructured data, Clinical Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers accurately identified statin nonuse (area under receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] 0.99 [0.98-1.0]) and key patient (eg, side effects/contraindications), clinician (eg, guideline-discordant practice), and system reasons (eg, clinical inertia) for statin nonuse (AUC 0.90 [0.86-0.93]) and outperformed other natural language processing approaches. Reasons for nonuse varied by clinical and demographic characteristics, including race and ethnicity. Conclusions A deep learning algorithm identified statin nonuse and actionable reasons for statin nonuse in patients with diabetes. Findings may enable targeted interventions to improve guideline-directed statin use and be scaled to other evidence-based therapies.

Optimising Medications in Older Vascular Surgery Patients Through Geriatric Co-management.

Prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications and under-prescribing of guideline-recommended medications for cardiovascular risk modification have both been associated with negative outcomes in older adults. Hospitalisation represents an important opportunity to optimise medication use and may be achieved through geriatrician-led interventions. We aimed to evaluate whether implementation of a novel model of care called Geriatric Comanagement of older Vascular (GeriCO-V) surgery patients is associated with improvements in medication prescribing. We used a prospective pre-post study design. The intervention was a geriatric co-management model, where a geriatrician delivered comprehensive geriatric assessment-based interventions including a routine medication review. We included consecutively admitted patients to the vascular surgery unit at a tertiary academic centre aged ≥65 years with an expected length of stay of ≥2 days and who were discharged from hospital. Outcomes of interest were the prevalence of at least one potentially inappropriate medication as defined by the Beers Criteria at admission and discharge, and rates of cessation of at least one potentially inappropriate medication present on admission. In the subgroup of patients with peripheral arterial disease, the prevalence of guideline-recommended medications on discharge was determined. There were 137 patients in the pre-intervention group (median [interquartile range] age: 80.0 [74.0-85.0] years, 83 [60.6%] with peripheral arterial disease) and 132 patients in the post-intervention group (median [interquartile range] age: 79.0 (73.0-84.0) years, 75 [56.8%] with peripheral arterial disease). There was no change in the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use from admission to discharge in either group (pre-intervention: 74.5% on admission vs 75.2% on discharge; post-intervention: 72.0% vs 72.7%, p = 0.65). Forty-five percent of pre-intervention group patients had at least one potentially inappropriate medication present on admission ceased, compared with 36% of post-intervention group patients (p = 0.11). A higher number of patients with peripheral arterial disease in the post-intervention group were discharged on antiplatelet agent therapy (63 [84.0%] vs 53 [63.9%], p = 0.004) and lipid-lowering therapy (58 [77.3%] vs 55 [66.3%], p = 0.12). Geriatric co-management was associated with an improvement in guideline-recommended antiplatelet agent prescribing aimed at cardiovascular risk modification for older vascular surgery patients. The prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications was high in this population, and was not reduced with geriatric co-management.

Contemporary in-hospital and long-term prognosis of patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction depending on renal function: a retrospective analysis

BackgroundCardiovascular disease is often associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), resulting in an increased risk for poor outcome. We sought to determine short-term mortality and overall survival in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with different stages of CKD.MethodsIn our retrospective cohort study with health insurance claims data of the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK), anonymized data of all STEMI patients hospitalized between 2010 and 2017 were analyzed regarding presence and severity of concomitant CKD.ResultsA total of 175,187 patients had an index-hospitalisation for STEMI (without CKD: 78.6% patients, CKD stage 1: 0.8%, CKD stage 2: 4.8%, CKD stage 3: 11.7%, CKD stage 4: 2.8%, CKD stage 5: 0.7%, CKD stage 5d: 0.6%). Patients with CKD were older and had more co-morbidities than patients without CKD. With increasing CKD severity, patients received less revascularization therapies (91.2%, 85.9%, 87.0%, 81.8%, 71.7%, 76.9% and 78.6% respectively, p < 0.001). After 1 year, guideline-recommended medications were prescribed less frequently in advanced CKD (83.4%, 79.3%, 81.5%, 74.7%, 65.0%, 59.4% and 53.7%, respectively, p < 0.001). CKD stages 4, 5 and 5d as well as chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) were associated with decreased overall survival [CKD stage 4: hazard ratio (HR) 1.72; 95% CI 1.66–1.78; CKD stage 5: HR 2.55; 95% CI 2.37–2.73; CKD stage 5d: 5.64; 95% CI 5.42–5.86; CLTI: 2.06; 95% CI 1.98–2.13; all p < 0.001].ConclusionsCKD is a frequent co-morbidity in patients with STEMI and is associated with a worse prognosis especially in advanced stages. Guideline-recommended therapies in patients with STEMI and CKD are still underused.

Association of Medicare Advantage vs Traditional Medicare With 30-Day Mortality Among Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Medicare Advantage health plans covered 37% of beneficiaries in 2018, and coverage increased to 48% in 2022. Whether Medicare Advantage plans provide similar care for patients presenting with specific clinical conditions is unknown. To compare 30-day mortality and treatment for Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (MI) from 2009 to 2018. Retrospective cohort study that included 557 309 participants with ST-segment elevation [acute] MI (STEMI) and 1 670 193 with non-ST-segment elevation [acute] MI (NSTEMI) presenting to US hospitals from 2009-2018 (date of final follow up, December 31, 2019). Enrollment in Medicare Advantage vs traditional Medicare. The primary outcome was adjusted 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included age- and sex-adjusted rates of procedure use (catheterization, revascularization), postdischarge medication prescriptions and adherence, and measures of health system performance (intensive care unit [ICU] admission and 30-day readmissions). The study included a total of 2 227 502 participants, and the mean age in 2018 ranged from 76.9 years (Medicare Advantage STEMI) to 79.3 years (traditional Medicare NSTEMI), with similar proportions of female patients in Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare (41.4% vs 41.9% for STEMI in 2018). Enrollment in Medicare Advantage vs traditional Medicare was associated with significantly lower adjusted 30-day mortality rates in 2009 (19.1% vs 20.6% for STEMI; difference, -1.5 percentage points [95% CI, -2.2 to -0.7] and 12.0% vs 12.5% for NSTEMI; difference, -0.5 percentage points [95% CI, -0.9% to -0.1%]). By 2018, mortality had declined in all groups, and there were no longer statically significant differences between Medicare Advantage (17.7%) and traditional Medicare (17.8%) for STEMI (difference, 0.0 percentage points [95% CI, -0.7 to 0.6]) or between Medicare Advantage (10.9%) and traditional Medicare (11.1%) for NSTEMI (difference, -0.2 percentage points [95% CI, -0.4 to 0.1]). By 2018, there was no statistically significant difference in standardized 90-day revascularization rates between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare. Rates of guideline-recommended medication prescriptions were significantly higher in Medicare Advantage (91.7%) vs traditional Medicare patients (89.0%) who received a statin prescription (difference, 2.7 percentage points [95% CI, 1.2 to 4.2] for 2018 STEMI). Medicare Advantage patients were significantly less likely to be admitted to an ICU than traditional Medicare patients (for 2018 STEMI, 50.3% vs 51.2%; difference, -0.9 percentage points [95% CI, -1.8 to 0.0]) and significantly more likely to be discharged to home rather than to a postacute facility (for 2018 STEMI, 71.5% vs 70.2%; difference, 1.3 percentage points [95% CI, 0.5 to 2.1]). Adjusted 30-day readmission rates were consistently lower in Medicare Advantage than in traditional Medicare (for 2009 STEMI, 13.8% vs 15.2%; difference, -1.3 percentage points [95% CI, -2.0 to -0.6]; and for 2018 STEMI, 11.2% vs 11.9%; difference, 0.6 percentage points [95% CI, -1.5 to 0.0]). Among Medicare beneficiaries with acute MI, enrollment in Medicare Advantage, compared with traditional Medicare, was significantly associated with modestly lower rates of 30-day mortality in 2009, and the difference was no longer statistically significant by 2018. These findings, considered with other outcomes, may provide insight into differences in treatment and outcomes by Medicare insurance type.

Sex disparities and dyslipidemic control in a coronary rehabilitation program

Lipid control is one of the most important secondary cardiovascular prevention targets. Although cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in both sexes, women are less likely to receive guideline-recommended secondary prevention medications. To compare sex disparities in dyslipidemia control in a secondary prevention population, we retrospectively analysed all patients who participated in a Coronary Rehabilitation Program (CRP) after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) from January 2011 to October 2019. Of a total of 881 patients enrolled, mean age 55.0-year-old, 16.1% were female. At hospital admission, females and males had similar mean LDL-levels. Female patients received more high intensity therapy during follow-up (67.8% vs 53.9% at baseline, p = 0.015; 75.6% vs 59.0% after CRP, p = 0.003; and 79.8% vs 65.1% at 1-year-follow-up, p = 0.007). At the end of the CRP, male patients exhibit a better control of LDL [82.0 vs 75.6 mg/dL, t(597) = 2.4, p = 0.016)] with 12.8% vs 16.4% below 55 mg/dL and 29.8% vs 44.5% below 70 mg/dL (p = 0.008). At 1-year follow-up, both sexes exhibited similar LDL-control thanks to a worsening control of the male population (81.9 vs 80.6 mg/dL, t(540) = 0.52, p = 0.605). Only 13.3% of females had LDL below 55 mg/dL (vs 12.9%, p = 0.921) and 32.5% below 70 mg/dL (vs 37.0%, p = 0.432). This real-life study showed that guideline recommended LDL target is not achieved in the majority of patients. Unlike other reports, there were more women receiving more potent anti-dyslipidemic therapy. Nevertheless, women showed a poor control of LDL-concentration after three months of ACS and a similar control after 1-year.

Deficits and Disparities in Early Uptake of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and SGLT2i Among Medicare-Insured Adults Following a New Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease or Heart Failure.

To examine the association of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic deprivation with initiation of guideline-recommended diabetes medications with cardiovascular benefit (glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists [GLP1-RA] and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors [SGLT2i]) among older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and either incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or congestive heart failure (CHF). Using Medicare data (2016-2019), we identified 4,057,725 individuals age >65 years with T2D and either incident ASCVD or CHF. We estimated incidence rates and hazard ratios (HR) of GLP1-RA or SGLT2i initiation within 180 days by race/ethnicity and zip code-level Social Deprivation Index (SDI) using adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Incidence rates of GLP1-RA or SGLT2i initiation increased over time but remained low (<0.6 initiations per 100 person-months) in all years studied. Medication initiation was less common among those of Black or other race/ethnicity (HR 0.81 [95% CI 0.79-0.84] and HR 0.84 [95% CI 0.75-0.95], respectively) and decreased with increasing SDI (HR 0.96 [95% CI 0.96-0.97]). Initiation was higher in ASCVD than CHF (0.35 vs. 0.135 initiations per 100 person-months). Moderate (e.g., nephropathy, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) but not severe (e.g., advanced chronic kidney disease, cirrhosis) comorbidities were associated with higher probability of medication initiation. Among older adults with T2D and either ASCVD or CHF, initiation of GLP1-RA or SGLT2i was low, suggesting a substantial deficit in delivery of guideline-recommended care or treatment barriers. Individuals of Black and other race/ethnicity and those with higher area-level socioeconomic deprivation were less likely to initiate these medications.

Sex Disparities in Treatment and Outcome of Patients with Lower Extremity Arterial Disease: A Secondary Data Analysis

The aim of our study was to analyse sex-specific differences in diagnosis and treatment of patients with lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) at Rutherford stage (RF) 1-3, based on secondary data. Furthermore, we focussed on the influence of the biological sex on short- and long-term outcome. The GenderVasc project is carried out in cooperation with the AOK Research Institute (WIdO). As data basis, anonymized routine data from all insured patients of the AOK were used. All patients hospitalized due to a main diagnosis of LEAD at RF 1-3 were included and in addition to the multisectoral cross-sectional analysis, longitudinal analysis (follow-up of up to 10 years) of the health claims data was performed and evaluated. Our secondary data analysis of 42,197 patients with intermittent claudication (IC, LEAD at RF 1-3) showed that male patients were more often hospitalized due to LEAD, while women were older at time-point of index hospitalisation (female: 72.6 vs. male: 66.4 years). Fewer vascular procedures (diagnostic angiography and revascularisation) were carried out in females. Moreover, the prescription of guideline-recommended medications (statins and antithrombotic therapy) was lower in women compared to men. Multivariable Cox regression showed, after adjusting for age, cardiovascular risk profile and performed vascular procedure, that female sex was protective with respect to overall survival and progression of LEAD (progress to chronic limb-threatening ischemia or ischemic amputation). In Germany, female LEAD patients were older and less likely to receive guideline-recommended therapy, while female sex is protective in terms of overall survival and progression of LEAD. The extent to which increased age or the presence of other comorbidities influence the decision for or against a vascular procedure can only be assumed from a secondary data analysis. Furthermore, the prescription of drugs in multimorbid patients is challenging and the compliance of the patients with prescribed medication intake is not part of our analysis. Nevertheless, targeted analysis, as in the GenderVasc project, are urgently needed to identify and describe differences in the medical care between the sexes.