Identifying patients with ischaemic heart disease in general practice: cross sectional study of paper and computerised medical records.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To identify patients with ischaemic heart disease by using a practice computer and to estimate the work required to do so.

Design

Cross sectional study. Data from the notes and from the computer records of 1680 patients were used to build a database. This was used to compare different methods of identifying patients with ischaemic heart disease.

Setting

11 general practices in the Battersea primary care group in south London.

Subjects

1 in 40 random sample of patients aged 45 or older.

Main outcome measures

Numbers of patients identified with ischaemic heart disease.

Results

The combination of the Read code for ischaemic heart disease (G3) and a prescription for a nitrate had a 73% sensitivity and a yield (100/positive predictive value)

SUBMITTER: Gray J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC27471 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature