A multifaceted intervention to narrow the evidence-based gap in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes: Rationale and design of the Brazilian Intervention to Increase Evidence Usage in Acute Coronary Syndromes (BRIDGE-ACS) cluster-randomized trial

Publication date: March 2012 Source:American Heart Journal, Volume 163, Issue 3 Author(s): Otávio Berwanger , Hélio P. Guimarães , Ligia N. Laranjeira , Alexandre B. Cavalcanti , Alessandra Kodama , Ana Denise Zazula , Eliana Santucci , Elivane Victor , Uri A. Flato , Marcos Tenuta , Vitor Carvalho , Vera Lucia Mira , Karen S. Pieper , Luiz Henrique Mota , Eric D. Peterson , Renato D. Lopes Translating evidence into clinical practice in the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is challenging. Few ACS quality improvement interventions have been rigorously evaluated to determine their impact on patient care and clinical outcomes. We designed a pragmatic, 2-arm, cluster-randomized trial involving 34 clusters (Brazilian public hospitals). Clusters were randomized to receive a multifaceted quality improvement intervention (experimental group) or routine practice (control group). The 6-month educational intervention included reminders, care algorithms, a case manager, and distribution of educational materials to health care providers. The primary end point was a composite of evidence-based post-ACS therapies within 24 hours of admission, with the secondary measure of major cardiovascular clinical events (death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal cardiac arrest, and nonfatal stroke). Prescription of evidence-based therapies at hospital discharge were also evaluated as part of the secondary outcomes. All analyses were performed by the intention-to...
Source: American Heart Journal - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research