NYMC Faculty Publications
DOI
10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.11.036
Journal Title
The American Journal of Medicine
First Page
715
Last Page
721
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2015
Department
Medicine
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Beta-blockers improve outcomes in patients with systolic heart failure. However, it is unknown whether their initial negative inotropic effect may increase 30-day all-cause readmission, a target outcome for Medicare cost reduction and financial penalty for hospitals under the Affordable Care Act.
METHODS: Of the 3067 Medicare beneficiaries discharged alive from 106 Alabama hospitals (1998-2001) with a primary discharge diagnosis of heart failure and ejection fraction
RESULTS: Beta-blocker use was not associated with 30-day all-cause readmission (hazard ratio [HR] 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-1.18) or heart failure readmission (HR 0.95; 95% CI, 0.57-1.58), but was significantly associated with lower 30-day all-cause mortality (HR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.12-0.73). During 4-year postdischarge, those in the beta-blocker group had lower mortality (HR 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.98) and combined outcome of all-cause mortality or all-cause readmission (HR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.74-0.97), but not with all-cause readmission (HR 0.89; 95% CI, 0.76-1.04).
CONCLUSIONS: Among hospitalized older patients with systolic heart failure, discharge prescription of beta-blockers was associated with lower 30-day all-cause mortality and 4-year combined death or readmission outcomes without higher 30-day readmission.
Recommended Citation
Bhatia, V., Sanam, K., Hashim, T., Deedwania, P., Aronow, W. S., Fletcher, R., & Ahmed, A. (2015). Beta-Blocker Use and 30-Day All-Cause Readmission in Medicare Beneficiaries With Systolic Heart Failure. The American Journal of Medicine, 128 (7), 715-721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.11.036
Publisher's Statement
This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final edited version of this article is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.11.036
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
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