Fifteen-Year Trends in Management and Outcomes of Non-ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Among Black and White Patients: The ARIC Community Surveillance Study, 2000-2014

Background-Standardization of evidence-based medical therapies has improved outcomes for patients with non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Although racial differences in NSTEMI management have previously been reported, it is uncertain whether these differences have been ameliorated over time. Methods and Results-The ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Community Surveillance study conducts hospital surveillance of acute myocardial infarction in 4 US communities. NSTEMI was classified by physician review, using a validated algorithm. From 2000 to 2014, 17 755 weighted hospitalizations for NSTEMI (patient race: 36% black, 64% white) were sampled by ARIC. Black patients were younger (aged 60 versus 66 years), more often female (45% versus 38%), and less likely to have medical insurance (88% versus 93%) but had more comorbidities. Black patients were less often administered aspirin (85% versus 92%), other antiplatelet therapy (45% versus 60%), beta-blockers (85% versus 88%), and lipid-lowering medications (68% versus 76%). After adjustments, black patients had a 24% lower probability of receiving nonaspirin antiplatelets (relative risk: 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.81), a 29% lower probability of angiography (relative risk: 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.76), and a 45% lower probability of revascularization (relative risk: 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.50-0.60). No suggestion of a changing trend over time was observed for any NSTEMI therapy (P values for interaction, all > 0.20). Conclusions-This longitudinal community surveillance of hospitalized NSTEMI patients suggests black patients have more comorbidities and less likelihood of receiving guideline-based NSTEMI therapies, and these findings persisted across the 15-year period. Focused efforts to reduce comorbidity burden and to more consistently implement guideline-directed treatments in this high-risk population are warranted.