Prevalence, Presenting Complaints, Risk Factors and Comorbidity of Acute Coronary Syndrome at Orotta National Referral Hospital Intensive Care Unit Eritrea: Retrospective Study

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) being one of the major manifestations of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, it ranks a third for all deaths above the age of 35 in developed countries. It is the principal cause of mortality globally for greater than 4.5 million people in the developing world with a relative lack of preventive measures implemented. Eighty percent of deaths due to Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) occur in developing countries. CHD rates are expected to increase in developing countries mainly South East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East; from 9 million in 1990 to 19 million by 2020. This Retrospective study was carried out to assess the Prevalence, Presenting Complaints, Risk factors and Comorbidity of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) at Orotta National Referral Hospital Intensive Care Unit, Asmara, Eritrea. Hospital based Retrospective record review study of ten years was done on clinical cards of patients. The study results revealed an overall prevalence of 8.5 percent. ACS was observed to increase with an increasing age, being higher in 164 patients (55%) who are in the age group greater than sixty. Majority (86.6%) of admissions were reported as from zoba Maekel. It was observed to increase in males than females with 3.66 to 1 ratio of male to female. Chest pain was documented as a chief complaint (85.23%). The average length of hospital stay until discharged or death was found to be 11 days. Comorbidity between Hypertension, Diabetes and ACS was documented as 55.4 percent showing a significant association (P Value= 0.001). The study results also revealed a significant association between sex and, NSTEMI and STEMI at a P- value = 0.003, but no any association was found among NSTEMI and STEMI, and age, smoking, cholesterol level, Diabetes and Hypertension. In conclusion, this study revealed that ACS is increasing in Eritrea as any other developed and developing countries. The association between sex and, NSTEMI and STEMI which may be attributed to modifiable behavioral risk factors that are gender related. Therefore, the study recommends to Clinicians to ask and record, family history of premature CHD death, duration of Diabetes, Hypertension and other chronic cardio-pulmonary diseases, all diagnostic investigations and specific medications that are used for the management of the disease and good outcome.