Heart Attack Quality Ratings
What is a Heart Attack?A heart attack (also called an AMI or Acute Myocardial Infarction) happens when the arteries leading to the heart become blocked and the blood supply is slowed or stopped.
| Data listed is from April 2008 - March 2009. | Barton | State Average | U.S. Average |
| Aspirin given at arrival | 100% | 99% | 94% |
| Aspirin given at discharge | 100% | 98% | 92% |
| Aspirin given at arrival and discharge has shown to reduce the tendency of blood to clot in the blood vessels of the heart and improves the chance a patient will survive. | |||
| Beta blocker given at arrival | 67%** | 96% | 89% |
| Beta blocker prescribed at discharge | 80%** | 98% | 93% |
Beta blockers are medicines which protect the heart by slowing the heart and helping the heart use less energy to pump blood. |
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| Drugs given to improve heart performance | N/A* | 95% | 90% |
| Drugs called ACE (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme) inhibitors are given to reduce blood pressure and strengthen the heart beat for those patients who have problems with a certain part of the heart’s left ventricle. | |||
| Advised to quit smoking | 100% | 99% | 94% |
| Quitting smoking can prevent reduce chances of a heart attack by 50%, thus patients are counseled on how to quit. | |||
* During the time period listed, Barton did not have any patients fitting the criteria for that measure.
** Heart attack patients are stabilized and transferred to a hospital with cardiology services.
