• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Specifications manual for hospital outpatient department quality measures (v 2.1a). Baltimore (MD): Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); 2009. 245 p.

Does not apply to this measure

This measure is used to assess the percentage of emergency department (ED) acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients or chest pain patients (with Probable Cardiac Chest Pain) who received aspirin within 24 hours before ED arrival or prior to transfer.

The early use of aspirin in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) results in a significant reduction in adverse events and subsequent mortality. Aspirin therapy provides a percent reduction in mortality that is comparable to thrombolytic therapy and the combination provides additive benefit for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and is also effective in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. National guidelines strongly recommend early aspirin for patients hospitalized with AMI.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI); chest pain; ST-segment elevation; aspirin

Patients 18 years and older with an emergency department (ED) encounter for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or chest pain (with Probable Cardiac Chest Pain) (see the related "Denominator Inclusions/Exclusions" field in the Complete Summary)

Emergency department (ED) acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or chest pain patients (with Probable Cardiac Chest Pain) who received aspirin within 24 hours before ED arrival or prior to transfer

Administrative data
Medical record

OP-4: hospital outpatient acute myocardial infarction and hospital outpatient chest pain: aspirin at arrival.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

United States Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Contractor

None

National Quality Forum

Hospital Quality Alliance

Measure was not adapted from another source

2008 Apr

2009 Jan

This is the current release of the measure.

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Specifications manual for hospital outpatient department quality measures (v 2.1a). Baltimore (MD): Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); 2009. 245 p.

This NQMC summary was completed by ECRI Institute on February 20, 2009. The information was verified by the measure developer on May 8, 2009.

No copyright restrictions apply.

The Specifications Manual for Hospital Outpatient Department Quality Measures (Version 2.1a, January 2009) is periodically updated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Users of the Specifications Manual for Hospital Outpatient Department Quality Measures must update their software and associated documentation based on the published manual production timelines.