Epidemiology and Risk Factorsof Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background and Aim: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most important cause of death worldwide. The incidence and outcome of risk factors differ by type of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of the present study was to determine the epidemiology and risk factors of patients with ACS in Iran. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study, which was conducted at the Heart Center Hospital, Iran on patients presenting with ACS for a period of one year. An interviewer collected data using an administered data collection form, and epidemiological patterns and risk factors were analyzed by SPSS. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-square test were used to analyze the hypothesized patterns. Results: The sample included ۷۱۰ patients diagnosed with ACS, with Mean±SD age of ۶۰.۴±۱۰.۲۷ years, of whom ۵۰۹ cases (۷۱%) were men and ۲۰۱ cases (۲۹%) were women. Regarding the type of ACS, ۵۱% of patients were diagnosed with unstable angina (UA), ۲۲% with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and ۲۷% with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Nearly, ۳۷% of cases with STEMI diagnosis, ۲۲.۶% with NSTEMI diagnosis, and ۱۶.۳% with UA diagnosis were smokers, which indicates a significant association between smoking and STEMI diagnosis (P=۰.۰۰۳). According to the body mass index, a large percentage of the patients were overweight (۴۹%) and only ۲۰.۷% had normal body weight. Almost ۶۰% of cases with UA diagnosis, ۵۷% with NSTEMI diagnosis, and ۵۰.۵% with STEMI diagnosis had hypertension (HT) (P=۰.۴۵۵), indicating no significant association between hypertension and UA, NSTEMI, and STEMI. About ۵۹% of patients with NSTEMI, ۵۳.۲% of patients with UA, and ۵۲% of patients with STEMI had dyslipidemia (P=۰.۵۶۹), indicating no significant association between dyslipidemia and UA, NSTEMI, and STEMI. About ۴۰% of cases with NSTEMI, ۳۷% with STEMI, and ۳۳% with UA diagnosis had diabetes mellitus (P=۰.۵۰۸), indicating no significant association between diabetes mellitus and UA, NSTEMI, and STEMI. Conclusion: Regarding the occurrence and effect of risk factors, there are three types of ACS. It is necessary to plan to enhance the health level of these patients. Therefore, patients with ACS need special attention in order to be identified and treated as soon as possible.