title: Patients admitted to hospital with chest pain--changes in a 20-year perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the differences in characteristics and outcome between two consecutive series of patients admitted to hospital with chest pain in a 20-year perspective. Particular emphasis is placed on changes in outcome in relation to the initial electrocardiogram (ECG).
  
  
  METHODS
  In the two periods, 1986-1987 and 2008, all patients with chest pain admitted to the study hospitals in Gothenburg, Sweden, were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five thousand and sixteen patients were registered in a period of 21 months in 1986-1987 and 2287 patients were registered during 3 months in 2008. In a comparison of the two time periods, the age of chest pain patients was not significantly different (mean age 60.1 ± 17.8 years in 1986-1987 and 59.8 ± 19.1 years in 2008, p=0.50). There was a lower prevalence of previous angina pectoris, congestive heart failure and current smoking in the second period, whereas a history of acute myocardial infarction, hypertension and diabetes mellitus had become more prevalent. The use of cardio-protective drugs increased and ECG changes indicating acute myocardial ischemia on admission to hospital decreased. Length of hospitalisation was reduced from a median of 5 days to 3 days (p<0.0001). A significant decrease in 30-day and 1-year mortality was found (3.8% in 1986-1987 vs 2.0% in 2008 and 9.9% vs 6.3% respectively, p<0.0001 for both comparisons).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During a period of 20 years, the characteristics and outcome of patients admitted to hospital with chest pain changed. The most important changes were a lower prevalence of ECG signs indicating acute myocardial ischemia on admission, shorter hospitalisation time and a lower 30-day and 1-year mortality.
authors: Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. victordangthang@hmu.edu.vn
authors: Nguyen Dang
authors: ND
authors: Thang
authors: Björn Wilgot
authors: BW
authors: Karlson
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Bergman
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Santos
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Karlsson
authors: Ann
authors: A
authors: Bengtson
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Johanson
authors: Araz
authors: A
authors: Rawshani
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Herlitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000639:trends*