Audit of patients with type 2 diabetes following a critical cardiac event.
BACKGROUND
Evidence indicates that type 2 diabetes leads to complications such as a cardiac event, which often requires admission to a coronary care unit (CCU). Although there is a considerable body of knowledge about the management and characteristics of people with type 2 diabetes and myocardial infraction, there are few reports of the disease and demographic characteristics of the entire group of patients with diabetes admitted to a CCU.


OBJECTIVE
To gain greater understanding of the characteristics of patients with diabetes hospitalized for a critical cardiac event in order to assist in the development of an appropriate self-management programme for CCU patients with diabetes.


METHODS
Data were collected retrospectively from computerized records and charts of all patients with diabetes admitted to the CCU from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2003.


RESULTS
The proportion of type 2 diabetic patients admitted to CCU with a critical cardiac event over the 4-year study period was consistent at 14.7%, 233 in 1589 patients. More than 22% of CCU patients with diabetes were readmitted to hospital within 28 days compared with only 6% of CCU patients without diabetes. Predictors for readmission and length of stay were also examined.


CONCLUSIONS
A considerable proportion of a CCU population had type 2 diabetes and these patients had significantly higher readmission rates. The implications of this study for the development of a self-management programme for patients with diabetes who experienced a critical cardiac event are discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
Innovative programmes are required to reduce the rate of readmission for patients with both diabetes and a critical cardiac event. These should: 1 ensure transition programmes, such as self-management, commence within the CCU environment and continue following discharge, and 2 integrate diabetes and cardiac self-management programmes to condense the large amount of information provided to patients for managing two serious conditions.
Wu
C-J Jo
CJ
Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology & Mater Health Services, Brisbane, Australia. c3.wu@qut.edu.au
Chang
A M
AM
D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003325:Coronary Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009731:Nursing Audit; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies