Original paper
Myocardial infarction, unstable angina, thoracic aortic aneurysm and pulmonary embolism as the most frequent causes of hospitalisation of patients with chest pains

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the largest health problem both in Poland and worldwide. Among them, there are some diseases which require special attention as they pose direct threat to a patient’s life, namely the myocardial infarction, unstable angina, thoracic aortic aneurysm and pulmonary embolism. Everyday clinical practice depends to a large extent on doctors’ knowledge on the epidemiology as well as age and gender differences among these diseases.

Aim: Determination of acute cardiac conditions (myocardial infarction, unstable angina, thoracic aortic aneurysm, pulmonary embolism) frequency rate and mortality rates by patients’ age and gender, as well as determination of hospitalisation period in the studied groups of patients.

Material and methods: A retrospective study was carried out on 33 975 patients hospitalised in 2011 in University Clinic Hospital in Bialystok. Based on medical documentation gathered in the Hospital’s electronic database, a group of 1200 patients hospitalised due to acute cardiac conditions (myocardial infarction, unstable angina, thoracic aortic aneurysm, pulmonary embolism) has been selected.

Results: Among acute cardiac conditions, myocardial infarction turned out to be the most frequent cause of hospitalisation (60%). Sixty-four percent male patients and 36% female patients were hospitalised due to acute cardiac conditions. The average age of male patients was 65, while female patients were on average 71 years. Death percentage among women reached 5.73%, compared to 2.36% among men.

Conclusions: Among acute cardiac conditions, myocardial infarction turned out to be the most frequent cause of hospitalisation. Male patients were more frequently hospitalised due to acute cardiac conditions than female patients. Hospitalised men were younger compared to women. Acute cardiac conditions in women were associated with worse prognosis than in men.