Section II – Heart Disease

Section II – Heart Disease

This section presents information on selected diagnosis related groups (APR-DRGs) and procedures associated with heart disease. The tables for each APR-DRG include the number of discharges by hospital, average length of stay (LOS), median LOS, the average total charges, the median total charges, and comparative data for peer group hospitals. The tables for each procedure include the number of discharges by procedure and hospital, average length of stay (LOS), median LOS, the average total charges, and the median total charges. The top five principal diagnoses and procedures associated with each APR-DRG and the top five diagnoses associated with each selected procedure are also included. Median LOS and total charges are also reported and represent the 50% percentile, rather than the average, LOS and total charges. Median figures may be more appropriate to consider when the number of cases is small and the data are skewed.

The six APR-DRGs chosen are listed in the two tables below and include both the technical description and some examples of diseases or conditions that may be included in the APR-DRG.

APR-DRG	Description of the APR-DRGs in this Section:
106	Coronary bypass with cardiac catheterization.
112	Percutaneous cardiovascular procedures.
121	Circulatory disorders with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
124	Circulatory disorders except AMI, with cardiac catheterization.
127	Heart failure and shock.
138	Cardiac arrhythmia and conduction disorders.

APR-DRG	Diseases or Conditions which may be included in the APR-DRG:
106	Visualization of the heart and arteries and bypass of one or more coronary (heart) arteries.
112	Angioplasty of one or more of the heart’s arteries by means of a balloon catheter.
121	Heart attack.
124	Catheterization of either side of the heart or the heart’s arteries for diagnostic purposes.
127	Failure of the heart or circulation due to high blood pressure or other disease.
138	Irregular heart beat.

The five procedures listed in the tables below were chosen to represent those that are commonly performed or of general interest. Please note that several valve replacement procedures (35.21, 35.22, 35.23 and 35.24 [aortic or mitral valve replacements with or without tissue graft]) are lumped together under Procedure Code 35.2X. Also, Procedure Code 36.13 (Aortocoronary bypass of three coronary arteries) is used as a surrogate for all coronary artery bypass procedures because numerically this procedure is the most commonly performed.

Procedure	Procedures in this Section:
35.2X	All aortic and mitral valve replacements as a group.
36.01	Single vessel percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).
36.13	Aortocoronary bypass of three coronary arteries.
37.22	Left heart cardiac catheterization.
37.23	Combined right and left heart cardiac catheterization.

Procedure	Description of the Procedures:
35.2X	Replacement of either major heart valve.
36.01	Balloon angioplasty (reshaping) of a single artery of the heart.
36.13	Bypass of three coronary (heart) arteries.
37.22	Catheterization of the left side of the heart for diagnostic purposes.
37.23	Catheterization of both sides of the heart for diagnostic purposes.