[Knowledge and lifestyles of patients: a survey on patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome in the CCU of an Italian hospital].
OBJECTIVE
The lifestyles before hospital admission, knowledge on their illness and lifestyles after the acute coronary event were analysed with questionnaires, in three different samples of patients: a. all the patients admitted for acute coronary event from may 2003 to may 2005 to explore lifestyles before acute coronary event (416 patients) b. all the patients admitted from may 2003 to april 2004 (before the start of health information meetings organised by nurses), to explore the knowledge of the illness and its causes (132 patients) c. a sample of 83 patients followed in day hospital, to explore the lifestyles after the acute coronary event.


RESULTS
Lifestyles before the event. Most patients have incorrect lifestyles: 50% eat cheese every day and never exercise for at least 30 minutes everyday. Even after the acute coronary event, some incorrect lifestyles are still present. Seventy-five percent of patients have incorrect or insufficient knowledge on illness and risk factors at discharge and only 50% is willing to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in their diet.


CONCLUSIONS
Although confirmed by other studies, these results are worrying and call for the systematic adoption of secondary prevention strategies with effective interventions aimed at increasing knowledge and modifying lifestyles.
De Ponti
Anna
A
Divisione di Cardiologia, Presidio Ospedaliero di Desio, AO Ospedale Civile di Vimercate Milano.
Sorbara
Loredana
L
Amodeo
Raffaella
R
Imperatore
Patrizia Fusar
PF
Berizzi
Margherita
M
Di Rocco
Egidia
E
Saltarel
Ivan
I
Marigliani
Catia
C
Avanzini
Fausto
F
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003325:Coronary Care Units; D003625:Data Collection; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors