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URMC » Quality » Ratings » Heart Attack

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• Choose Us
• Commitment to Quality
• Quality Measures
  • Heart Attack
    • Overview
    • Aspirin on admission
    • Beta blocker on admission
    • Aspirin at discharge
    • Beta blocker at discharge
    • ACEI or ARB at discharge for patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction
    • Smoking cessation
    • Availability of PTCA
    • Inpatient mortality for heart attacks
    • Length of stay for heart attack patients
    • Lipid-lowering therapy at discharge
    • Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol assessment
  • Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA)
  • Coronary Bypass Surgery (CABG)
  • Heart Failure
  • Pneumonia
  • Robotic Prostatectomy
  • Stroke
• Glossary of Terms

 

Lipid-Lowering Therapy at Discharge

At Strong Memorial Hospital in 2005, all eligible heart attack survivors received lipid-lowering therapy before discharge.

According to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA): "Aggressive cholesterol lowering after a cardiac event can result in a 31% reduction in rates of fatal and nonfatal reinfarction [subsequent heart attack] and a 21% reduction in all causes of mortality. Screening and management of serum cholesterol, especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), is an important and effective way to reduce the suffering and disability caused by coronary heart disease (CHD)."

A variety of cholesterol lowering medications are available, and when used in conjunction with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's recommended therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC), these medications can improve overall health and reduce the risk of death and disability.