title: Impact of angina burden and other factors on treatment satisfaction after acute coronary syndromes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although of great importance to clinicians, hospitals, and health care systems, little is known about factors that influence treatment satisfaction after acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The objective of this study was to identify potentially modifiable factors associated with treatment satisfaction 7 months after ACS.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 1957 patients with ACS who were enrolled in the multicenter, prospective Veterans' Health Administration Access to Cardiology Study. The primary outcome was treatment satisfaction 7 months after ACS as measured by the Seattle Angina Questionnaire. Multivariable regression models were developed to determine the association between treatment satisfaction and patient characteristics, physician-patient communication, and current angina frequency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient characteristics associated with reduced treatment satisfaction included a history of depression, atrial fibrillation, prior heart surgery, arthritis, hypertension, younger age, and a discharge diagnosis of unstable angina (as opposed to myocardial infarction). After adjusting for patient characteristics, patient-reported inability to reach one or more of their physicians (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.47 to 3.91), being given confusing information (OR, 3.48; 95% CI, 2.08 to 5.83), and poor overall communication with one or more of their physicians (OR, 4.94; 95% CI, 2.93 to 8.34) were all associated with reduced satisfaction. Finally, after adjustment for both patient characteristics and physician communication, weekly (OR, 3.52; 95% CI, 2.28 to 5.45) and daily angina (OR, 3.88; 95% CI, 2.23 to 6.75) were associated with worse treatment satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current angina symptoms and aspects of physician communication are independently associated with treatment satisfaction after ACS. These results suggest that treatment satisfaction may be improved through better communication and better control of angina symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Wash, USA.
authors.forename: Sean C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Beinart
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sales
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Spertus
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Plomondon
authors.forename: Nathan R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Every
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rumsfeld
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003142:Communication; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome