title: Epidemiology of acute coronary syndromes in a Mediterranean country; aims, design and baseline characteristics of the Greek study of acute coronary syndromes (GREECS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study GREECS was conducted in order to evaluate the annual incidence of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and to delineate the role of clinical, biochemical, lifestyle and behavioral characteristics on the severity of disease. In this work we present the design, methodology of the study and various baseline characteristics of people with ACS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 6 hospitals located in Greek urban and rural regions was selected. In these hospitals we recorded almost all admissions due to ACS, from October 2003 to September 2004. Socio-demographic, clinical, dietary, psychological and other lifestyle characteristics were recorded. 2172 patients were included in the study (76% were men and 24% women). The crude annual incidence rate was 22.6 per 10,000 people and the highest frequency of events was observed in winter. The in-hospital mortality rate was 4.3%. The most common discharged diagnosis for men was Q-wave MI, while for women it was unstable angina.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study aims to demonstrate current information about the epidemiology of patients who suffer from ACS, in Greece.
authors.affiliation: First Cardiology Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece. d.b.panagiotakos@usa.net
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pitsavos
authors.forename: Demosthenes B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Panagiotakos
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonoulas
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zombolos
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kogias
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mantas
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stravopodis
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kourlaba
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013577:Syndrome