RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Despite cardiovascular diseases having grown to epidemic proportions, there are few studies from India pertaining to Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS), more so from the region of Purvanchal which is less developed with more poverty. Our study is first of its kind in this region of patients presenting for the first time with ACS. AIM: The present study was undertaken to study the clinical and angiographic characteristics of ACS patients of Purvanchal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of 100 patients admitted with ACS. Patients were excluded if they had prior cardiac pathology like valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, pericardial disease, cor pulmonale, ischaemic heart disease or cardiac revascularisation. Patients who did not undergo angiography were excluded. Patients were divided into ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) and non STEMI (NSTEMI). Presentation delays as well as clinical characteristics analysed in each group were age, gender, presence or absence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, smoking, Body Mass Index (BMI), family history, duration of chest pain, and treatment received. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 58.9 years with 27% below 50 years. Of the total 75% were males. Patients with STEMI were 65%. Median time to reach hospital was 24 hours with only 27% patients reaching hospital within 6 hours. Among patients with STEMI only 43% received fibrinolytic therapy. 23% patients had diabetes, 21% were hypertensive, 16% were smokers, family history of cardiovascular disease present in 11% and 21% had body mass index more than 30. Mean LDL was 115mg/dl and HDL 39mg/dl with 54% of patients having at least one risk factor. Factors favouring triple vessel involvement were female sex, higher age, smoking, presence of diabetes and NSTEMI. CONCLUSION: Indians develop ACS at earlier age. Precious time is lost before seeking treatment. There is a need for aggressive risk factor modification which along with health awareness will be the key to prevent premature cases of ACS and limit morbidity and mortality due to delayed treatment.
