Healthcare utilization following acute myocardial infarction findings from RECORD MI registry

As therapeutic options and epidemiology have evolved rapidly, the contemporary healthcare utilization following acute myocardial infarction (MI) is not well known.

All patients admitted with MI between 01/2015 and 12/2021 in the Baylor Scott & White health system were studied. Patient characteristics and outcomes including hospital readmissions, cardiovascular (CV)-related hospital readmissions, emergency department (ED) encounters, and outpatient visits were studied.

Of 6804 patients, 6556 were discharged alive. Median age was 69 years, 60% were male, and 77% had non-ST elevation MI (NSTEMI); 1172 (22%) had an LVEF <40%, 493 (7.5%) were revascularized within 3 months of discharge, and 1090 (17%) had multivessel disease. The number of unique patients with first hospital readmission within 30-days, 3-months, and 12-months were 844 (13%), 1372 (21%) and 2306 (35%), respectively, with a higher risk in patients with NSTEMI, prior heart failure (HF), new HF, and LVEF <40%. ED visits at 12 months for any cause were 2401 (37%) and for CV cause were 1321 (20%), with a higher risk in patients with prior HF. Patients with at least 1 primary care visit within 12 months of discharge were captured for 4102 (63%), CV specialty visits for 5009 (76%), and non-CV visits for 3860 patients (59%), with similar distribution across subgroups (Table).

Post-MI patients had a high risk of readmissions, and ED and outpatient visits, especially amongst those with a prior or new HF diagnosis.