Doctors, nurse practitioners offer comparable outpatient heart care

Heart disease patients appear to get comparable care whether they see a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant, a new study finds. But most outpatient cardiac care fails to meet established standards for good heart health management, regardless of the provider, the researchers determined. Just over 10 percent of providers complied with all of the current recommendations, the study revealed. Many patients aren't getting the care they need, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. "As a result [they] may be at risk for cardiovascular events and deaths that could have been prevented," added Fonarow, who wasn't involved in the study.