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Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

DOI

10.3906/sag-1502-88

Abstract

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to determine the patient profile, treatment, and outcomes of a coronary care unit (CCU) by retrospective screening of 12-year patient records. Materials and methods: The data of 13,463 patients admitted to the CCU of a tertiary referral hospital between 1 January 1997 and 30 June 2008 were collected. The patients were assessed with respect to demographics, admission diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Results: The mean age of patients was 61 ± 13 years (66.7%, male). While the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) accounted for 65%, the rate of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was 43.4%. Thrombolytic therapy was administered to 48.7% of the patients with STEMI. Systolic heart failure was the most frequent disease (11.9%) among the non-ACS diagnoses. The mortality rate of the CCU was 12.7% on average; it increased gradually after 2005 when the CCU became a general intensive care unit. Conclusion: This study is one of the largest comprehensive analyses of patient profile and outcomes of a CCU. Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac emergencies, the mortality rate of the CCU was high. Serving as a general intensive care unit, the absence of a coronary angiography laboratory and lower use of thrombolytic therapy for STEMI might be responsible factors.

Keywords

Coronary care units, demographic analyses, patient outcome, acute coronary syndrome, mortality

First Page

801

Last Page

806

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