Background
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is responsible for high rates of hospital
admission and readmission, which are associated with increased costs for the
patient and the health system, and increased in-hospital mortality
rates.
Objective
To evaluate readmission in patients with ACS and its determinants.
Methods
This was a retrospective cohort study of adult and elderly patients with ACS,
readmitted to public and private referral cardiology hospitals within one
year after the first hospitalization for ACS. The occurrence of
readmissions, the time elapsed from the first to the second admission, and
the use of medications at admission were collected from the medical records.
Associations between categorical variables were evaluated by the chi-square
test or the Fisher's exact test. Multiple logistic regression was used to
evaluate predictors for readmissions. A p < 0.05 was set as statistically
significant.
Results
Readmission rate was 21.5% (n = 115) and mean time between admissions was
122.7 ± 112.1 days. The patients were mostly men (64.0%), mean age of
63.15 ± 12.3 years. Among readmitted patients, 7% had a prognosis of
"death", and 68.7% were readmitted more than once within a one-year period.
The main reasons of readmission were cardiovascular diseases including ACS.
Private health care and the diagnosis of congestive heart failure were
associated with multiple logistic regression.
Conclusion
ACS was the main cause of readmission, with higher prevalence among users of
supplemental health care. Readmissions were associated with previous
diagnosis of congestive heart failure and the type of health care
provided.
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