Current management and quality of life of patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in Greece: 12-Month results from antiplatelet therapy observational study II (APTOR II).

INTRODUCTION

We describe the current management of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) over 12 months in Greece.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study in ACS patients undergoing PCI from September 2008 to April 2009, capturing practices over 12 months at 22 sites that enrolled 558 eligible patients.

RESULTS

A total of 351 patients suffered from unstable angina or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (UA/ NSTEMI), while 207 patients suffered from ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). For the UA/NSTEMI group, the median age was 64 years (interquartile range: 55-73), while for the STEMI group the median age was 56 years (interquartile range: 49-66). Stents were placed in 96.4% of patients: bare-metal stents alone were placed in 19% of patients, drug-eluting stents alone in 77.5% of patients, and both types of stent in 3.5% of patients. 74% of UA/NSTEMI patients and 87% of STEMI patients received the first antiplatelet loading dose within 1 day of the episode. 76% of UA/NSTEMI patients underwent PCI within 3 days following the initial ACS symptoms, while 67% of STEMI patients underwent PCI within 1 day of the ACS symptoms. Follow-up data were available for 540 (96.8%) patients. The percentages of patients on antiplatelet therapy and on other medications at the time of hospital discharge and at 12 months post-PCI were as follows: aspirin 98%, 97%; clopidogrel 99%, 96%; statins 81%, 79%; beta-blockers 73%, 72%; calcium blockers 11%, 11%; angiotensin II receptor blockers/angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors 64%, 62%; proton-pump inhibitors 39%, 35%.

CONCLUSIONS

In ACS patients treated with PCI in Greece, dual antiplatelet treatment is maintained in a very high percentage through 1 year post-procedure, and drug-eluting stent use is also high.