Eindhoven DC, et al. - Researchers used a nationwide registry to assess whether patients admitted with an acute myocardial infarction during the weekends have a higher mortality rate than those admitted during weekdays. This “weekend-effect” has been shown in several studies and is possibly attributable to less trained personnel available and a lower use of medical procedures. Acute myocardial infarction patients admitted during weekdays vs weekends had different treatment and mortality rates. A higher mortality rate and less frequent use of percutaneous coronary Intervention (PCI) was reported for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients admitted during weekends vs during weekdays.

Methods

• Researchers acquired all national diagnose-codings of STEMI and NSTEMI patients in 2012 and 2013.
• They compared one-year mortality rates and treatment with PCI between weekdays and weekends (holidays included).

Results

• This study included 59,534 patients (67 ± 13 years, 39,545(66%) male), of whom 33,904(57%) had a NSTEMI.
• They reported the death of a total of 6,857(12%) patients in the year following the acute myocardial infarction registration.
• One-year mortality rates did not differ in STEMI patients by admission on weekdays or weekends.
• According to findings, NSTEMI patients admitted during weekends had higher one-year mortality (weekdays 11% vs weekends 13%, P < .001).
• Treatment with PCI was reported more often in STEMI patients admitted during weekends (weekdays 77% vs weekends 81%, P < .001).
• Conversely, data revealed that NSTEMI patients admitted during weekends were less often treated with PCI (weekdays 35% vs weekends 32%, P < .001).