Contemporary secondary prevention in survivors of ST-elevation myocardial infarction with and without chronic kidney disease: a retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND: Survivors of myocardial infarction have an elevated risk of long-term mortality. We sought to evaluate guideline-directed medical treatment and its impact on long-term mortality in survivors of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) according to their chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage. METHODS: Using German health insurance claims data, 157 663 hospitalized survivors of STEMI were identified. Regarding different CKD stages, we retrospectively analysed the filled prescriptions of platelet inhibitors (PAI)/oral anticoagulation, statins, beta-blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists (ACE-I/AT1-A) and their association with long-term mortality. RESULTS: Prescription rates for all four guideline-directed drugs were highest in patients without or with mild CKD and lowest in patients on dialysis. They dropped from 73.4% to 39.2% in patients without CKD and from 47.1% to 29% in patients on dialysis within the 5-year follow-up period. Mortality rates were dramatically increased in patients with CKD compared with patients without CKD (5-year mortality: no CKD, 16.7%; CKD stage 3, 47.1%; CKD stage 5d, 69.7%). Filled prescriptions of at least one drug class [one drug: hazard ratio (HR) 0.70, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.66–0.74; four drugs: HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.27–0.30; P < .001 for both] as well as the distinct drug classes (statins: HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.54–0.56; ACE-I/AT1-A: HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.67–0.70; beta-blocker: HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.85–0.90; PAI/oral anticoagulation: HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95–1.00; all P < .05) improved long-term mortality. CONCLUSIONS: An improved long-term guideline-recommended drug therapy after STEMI regardless of renal impairment might lead to beneficial effects on long-term mortality.