No abstract

The cost effectiveness of treatment with accelerated t-PA rather than streptokinase compares favorably with that of other therapies whose added medical benefit for dollars spent is judged by society to be worthwhile.

For coronary revascularization, abciximab and stent implantation confer complementary long-term clinical benefits.

The Canadian patients had more cardiac symptoms and worse functional status one year after acute myocardial infarction than the U.S. patients. The Canadian patients also underwent fewer invasive cardiac procedures and had fewer visits to specialist physicians. These results suggest, but do not prove, that the more aggressive pattern of care in the United States may have been responsible for the better quality of life.

There is substantial regional variation in the use of cardiac medications and procedures to manage acute myocardial infarction in the United States. The use and availability of cardiac procedures are closely related. The management of acute myocardial infarction in New England is atypical in that the relatively limited availability of cardiac procedures does not account for their relatively low use in that region.