Impact of a 'stent for life' initiative on post-ST elevation myocardial infarction heart failure: a 15 year heart failure clinic experience

Abstract

Aims: Multidisciplinary heart failure (HF) clinics are a cornerstone of contemporary HF management. The stent-for-life (SFL) initiative improves mortality after ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but its impact in post-STEMI HF is not well characterized. Here we assessed the impact of SFL among patients referred to a multidisciplinary HF clinic over a 15 year time period.

Methods and results: Between 2001 and 2015, 1921 patients were admitted to our HF clinic. In 2009, Catalonia established the Codi IAM network, a regional STEMI network that prioritizes primary percutaneous coronary intervention in STEMI. Patients admitted during the study period were divided into two groups based on admission date: pre-SFL (2001-June 2009; n = 1031) and post-SFL (July 2009-2015; n = 890). Compared with those in the pre-SFL group, patients admitted in the post-SFL period had better New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (22.1 vs. 38.7 NYHA classes III-IV; P < 0.001) and higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (36.1 ± 19.6 vs. 32.6 ± 13.4; P < 0.001). Among STEMI survivors, 101 (6.7%) pre-SFL patients and 40 (2%) post-SFL patients (P < 0.001) fulfilled the criteria for HF clinic referral (Killip-Kimball class ≥ 2 during index admission and/or LVEF of <40%). Furthermore, among patients admitted to the HF clinic, post-STEMI HF with reduced ejection fraction patients comprised 8.9% of the pre-SFL group and only 4.2% of the post-SFL group (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Among patients treated at our multidisciplinary HF clinic, the adoption of an SFL network has decreased the prevalence of post-STEMI HF with reduced ejection fraction.

Keywords: HF with reduced ejection fraction; Heart failure clinics; Left ventricular ejection fraction; New York Heart Association; ST elevation myocardial infarction; Stent for life.