In the medical Journal "Heart", a group of researchers from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, reported that patients with diabetes have higher short- and long-term mortality rates after heart attack than those without diabetes. The pattern has remained even after modern therapeutic principles have been introduced.
A total of 70,882 people younger than the age of 80 years, 14873 of whom are diabetics, were assessed by the researchers for their death rates and treatment patterns in the periods of 1995 to 1998 and 1999 to 2002.
The data obtained from the study show that the 1-year mortality rate decreased from 16.6 per cent to 12.1 per cent in non-diabetic patients for the period between 1995 and 2002. In diabetic patients, 1-year mortality rates declined from 29.7 per cent to 19.7 per cent.
Nevertheless, heart attack patients with diabetes were more likely to die than those attack patients without diabetes. Diabetics had an adjusted relative 1-year mortality risk of 1.44 in 1995-1998 and 1.31 in 1999-2002 respectively.
Both the pre-admission and in-hospital treatment have no doubt improved. But because of their medical conditions, diabetic patients were less likely to receive immediate clot-busting therapy and revascularization procedures. They also less often received aspirin and lipid-lowering treatment at discharge.
According to the researchers, there are still plenty of opportunities for further improvements in the care of diabetic patients who suffer heart attack.
Excess mortality in heart attack patients with diabetes can partly due to the underlying co-illnesses, but it can also attributed to 'a less than optimal use of established treatment modalities, especially lipid-lowering therapy and early revascularization'.
A total of 70,882 people younger than the age of 80 years, 14873 of whom are diabetics, were assessed by the researchers for their death rates and treatment patterns in the periods of 1995 to 1998 and 1999 to 2002.
The data obtained from the study show that the 1-year mortality rate decreased from 16.6 per cent to 12.1 per cent in non-diabetic patients for the period between 1995 and 2002. In diabetic patients, 1-year mortality rates declined from 29.7 per cent to 19.7 per cent.
Nevertheless, heart attack patients with diabetes were more likely to die than those attack patients without diabetes. Diabetics had an adjusted relative 1-year mortality risk of 1.44 in 1995-1998 and 1.31 in 1999-2002 respectively.
Both the pre-admission and in-hospital treatment have no doubt improved. But because of their medical conditions, diabetic patients were less likely to receive immediate clot-busting therapy and revascularization procedures. They also less often received aspirin and lipid-lowering treatment at discharge.
According to the researchers, there are still plenty of opportunities for further improvements in the care of diabetic patients who suffer heart attack.
Excess mortality in heart attack patients with diabetes can partly due to the underlying co-illnesses, but it can also attributed to 'a less than optimal use of established treatment modalities, especially lipid-lowering therapy and early revascularization'.
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