Dialysis patients are only half as likely to receive standard treatment for a myocardial infarction as other patients despite higher risk for death
Despite a higher risk of death after a myocardial
infarction, dialysis patients are only half as likely to receive
standard treatment as patients from the general population, according
to a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society
of Nephrology.
“The difference between the treatment of dialysis and non-dialysis
patients appears to be based primarily on their status as dialysis
patients,” said lead author David Charytan, MD. “Physicians seem
to be more reluctant to prescribe invasive but potentially life-saving
therapies for dialysis patients than for their other patients.”
The study involved more than 150,000 patients who were admitted
with an acute myocardial infarction in 2001 and examined whether
dialysis patients received less aggressive care for their heart
disease than non-dialysis patients. Findings showed that dialysis
patients were approximately half as likely to have their coronary
arteries studied or to undergo a revascularization procedure.
“In light of these findings, doctors should evaluate their practices
and consider more frequent use of angiography, bypass surgery, and
other coronary interventions in dialysis patients,” commented Charytan.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among patients
on dialysis with kidney failure or end stage renal disease on dialysis.
Cardiovascular damage begins as soon as the kidney loses function
and increases in severity with progression of kidney disease.
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