title: [Applicability of a new definition of myocardial infarction and the opinion of Spanish cardiologists].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Working Group on Ischemic Heart Disease and Coronary Care Units of the Spanish Society of Cardiology evaluated the applicability of a new definition of infarction in Spanish hospitals, its current use, and the opinion of Spanish cardiologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  A telephone survey was made (from late 2001 to early 2002) in Spanish hospitals to evaluate the availability of troponin or creatine kinase MB mass determinations. A questionnaire was sent to all members of the Spanish Society of Cardiology to query about the availability of determinations of cardiac necrosis markers at their respective hospitals, use of the new definition, and whether they agreed with the new definition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An important proportion of Spanish hospitals cannot determine myocardial necrosis markers (troponin or creatine kinase MB mass), mainly due to low-volume activity (fewer than 200 beds). The new definition of myocardial infarction was used by Spanish cardiologists always (24%), frequently (31%), sometimes (17%), seldom (14%), and never (11%). Agreement with the definition was complete in 21%, almost complete in 33%, half and half in 26%, rare in 10%, and absent in 7% of Spanish cardiologists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large percentage of Spanish hospitals cannot use the new definition of myocardial infarction because they cannot determine specific cardiac necrosis markers. Spanish cardiologists are not generally using the new definition and many do not agree with it.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario de Tarragona Joan XXIII, Tarragona, Spain. abardaji@galenics.com
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bardají
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Ortiz
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heras
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002309:Cardiology / Q000592:standards; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D007755:Laboratories, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014336:Troponin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007527:Isoenzymes; D014336:Troponin; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form