Risk factors and outcome of medically treated acute coronary syndromes

Abstract EN

A retrospective study included patients admitted to an intensive care unit with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome from January 2000 to December 2003.

Three hundred patients medical histories were reviewed.

The underlying risk factors such as a positive family history, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperlipidemia were obtained.

The cause for admission, hospitalization duration, complications and mortality were all taken into consideration and compared statistically.

Mean age was 55.

2 ± 11.

9 years with the male to female ratio of 5.

8 : 1.

Diagnoses at the time of admission were ST elevation myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction in 61 %, 30 %, 9 % of the patients, respectively.

Thrombolytic treatment had been the golden therapeutic option for ST elevation myocardial infarction available in King Abdulaziz University Hospital, used by 78 % of the patients, followed by intravenous anticoagulants and other anti-ischemic medications.

The procedures performed were percutaneous coronary angioplasty (3 %), coronary bypass grafting (2 %), and cardiac catheterization and angiography for further intervention (45 %) for the 300 patients, respectively.

26% of patients developed complications.

Mortality was higher among females compared to males (13.

6 % versus 5.

9 %).

In conclusion male gender, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, positive family history and smoking were the main associated risk factors in our study.

ST elevation myocardial infarction was the predominant presentation in our patients.

Thrombolytic treatment was the available therapeutic option in our hospital.