Abstract

CASTILLO HERNANDEZ, Elsa; VAZQUEZ LAZO, Carmen  and  QUINTANA RAMIRE, Mileydi. Clinical and epidemiological behavior of ischemic heart disease at the polyvalent intensive care unit . Rev Cubana Enfermer [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-2961.

OBJECTIVE: Within the cardiovascular diseases, those affecting the coronary arteries are the most frequent and they include processes that go from angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction to sudden death. The objective of this paper was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of these patients. METHODS: A descriptive, prospective and cross-sectional study of the 71 patients with diagnosis of ischemic heart disease that received attention at the Polyvalent Intensive Care Unit of "Ciro Redondo" Hospital from August 2006 to January 2007, was undertaken. RESULTS: The data obtained from the medical histories were statistically processed. The commonest risk factors were arterial hypertension, smoking habit and diabetes mellitus. Most of the patients had a hospital stay of 5 or less days. The complications observed were arrhythmia, postinfarction angina, failure VI, cardiogenic shock and death. A case of cardiogenic shock and one of pulmonary thromboembolism accounted for 2.8 % of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: We hope this paper serves to lay down strategies aimed at improving the prognosis and quality of life of the patients.

Keywords : Ischemic heart disease; intensive care; acute myocardial infarction; death.