Heart Attack Medication
2022-23 Edition
Why is it important to take medication after a heart attack?
If you have had a heart attack, you are at greater risk of having another one. Medicines called beta-blockers can help prevent a repeat heart attack or stroke. The beta-blocker drug makes your heart beat more slowly and with less force.
What treatment should doctors provide if you have had a heart attack?
After a heart attack, quality heart care includes making sure that you are using medicines called beta-blockers for at least six months after the heart attack. Your doctor may also suggest rehabilitation and/or limits to physical activity to make sure you don’t further damage your heart.
Talk with your doctor and health plan to find out about what other services are available. Many health plans offer additional support and resources for patients who have experienced heart attacks. These additional services may be educational materials (online and in print), classes or support groups, or phone counseling.
What do the scores mean?
The scores show how well each health plan did at making sure patients who were hospitalized for a heart attack continued to receive beta blocker drugs for the six months following the heart attack. The higher score means more patients got the right care at the right time.
The scores are based on information from at least 30 health plan member administrative records in 2021.
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The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass®2022 and is used with the permission of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Quality Compass® 2022 includes certain Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) data. Any data display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass is a registered trademark of NCQA. CAHPS® is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
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