title: Emergency department use of aspirin in patients with possible acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Efforts have been made to improve the suboptimal use of aspirin after hospitalization.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the frequency and timing of aspirin administration in emergency department patients with possible myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective record review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Emergency departments of four hospitals affiliated with the same university.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients who were admitted to the four hospitals in 1994 for evaluation and treatment of suspected acute myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The frequency and timing of aspirin administration and the definitive diagnosis established before discharge from the hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aspirin was not given to 253 of 463 emergency department patients (55%) who had a definitive diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Seventy-eight percent of patients who did receive aspirin received it more than 30 minutes after arrival in the emergency department.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aspirin therapy is underutilized as the first intervention in patients who are admitted with suspected myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, USA.
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Saketkhou
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noris
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tilkemeier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Forman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cannistra
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leavitt
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garber
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Parisi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012237:Rhode Island; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001241:Aspirin