title: Prevalence of use of advance directives, health care proxy, legal guardian, and living will in 512 patients hospitalized in a cardiac care unit/intensive care unit in 2 community hospitals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of use of any advance directives was 26% in 112 patients hospitalized in a cardiac care unit (CCU)/intensive care unit (ICU) in an academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated in 2 community hospitals the prevalence of use of advance directives (AD), health care proxy (HCP), legal guardian (LG), and living will (LW) in 512 patients hospitalized in a CCU/ ICU approached for AD and HCP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of AD was 22%, of HCP was 19%, of LG was 16%, and of LW was 5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of AD was 22%, of HCP was 19%, of LG was 16%, and of LW was 5% in patients hospitalized in a CCU/ICU. Educational programs on use of AD and of HCP need to be part of cardiovascular training programs and of cardiovascular continuing medical education.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, Sound Shore Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Wilbert S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Aronow
authors.forename: Margelusa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alexa
authors.forename: Ritu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gothwal
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jesmajian
authors.forename: Bharat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhushan
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaba
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Catevenis