title: National survey of doctor-reported secondary preventive treatment for patients with acute coronary syndrome in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-term use of antiplatelet agents, statins, beta-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are proven therapies for secondary prevention in acute coronary syndrome. However, little is known of physicians' opinion about their use in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2010, standard questionnaires were posted to chief cardiologists in 1397 geographically diverse and representative sample of tertiary and secondary hospitals in China, collecting information about their opinions on the recommended treatments for acute coronary syndrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1009 (72%) cardiologists responded with a valid questionnaire. Of them, 77% reported routine use of all the four main secondary preventive treatments, with little difference between secondary and tertiary hospitals (75% vs. 79%, P = 0.16). Of the cardiologists reporting routine or selective use of aspirin, beta-blockers, statins and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, 94%, 85%, 73% and 86% would recommend indefinite use respectively. For all the 4 treatments combined, only 63.5% reported indefinite use at the same time, with no significant difference between secondary and tertiary hospitals (62% vs. 65%, P = 0.17), nor between hospitals with or without fast track for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (66% vs. 61%, P = 0.50).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although Chinese cardiologists seem well informed about the value of main secondary preventive treatments for acute coronary syndrome, there is still gap in their understanding of the need for combined and prolonged use of these treatments.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, China Oxford Centre for International Health Research, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zheng-Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Hai-Bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jia-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Wuhan-Bilige
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Hundei
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002681:China; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires