The gap in medical care between patients with and without COPD who are hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) appears to have narrowed substantially between 1997 and 2007, according to Massachusetts researchers. However, those with COPD appear to be treated less aggressively and be at increased risk of adverse outcomes than those without COPD. In-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were 13.5% and 18.7% for those with COPD, compared with 10.1% and 13.2% rates for those without COPD, respectively. Outcomes did not improve over the 10 years studied despite increased use of evidence-based therapy for all patients with AMI.
Abstract: Chest, June 2012.
