title: Long-term assessment of coronary care unit patient profile and outcomes: analyses of the 12-years patient records.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the patient profile, treatment, and outcomes of a coronary care unit (CCU) by retrospective screening of 12-year patient records.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of 13,463 patients admitted to the CCU of a tertiary referral hospital between 1 January 1997 and 30 June 2008 were collected. The patients were assessed with respect to demographics, admission diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 61 ± 13 years (66.7%, male). While the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) accounted for 65%, the rate of ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was 43.4%. Thrombolytic therapy was administered to 48.7% of the patients with STEMI. Systolic heart failure was the most frequent disease (11.9%) among the non-ACS diagnoses. The mortality rate of the CCU was 12.7% on average; it increased gradually after 2005 when the CCU became a general intensive care unit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is one of the largest comprehensive analyses of patient profile and outcomes of a CCU. Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac emergencies, the mortality rate of the CCU was high. Serving as a general intensive care unit, the absence of a coronary angiography laboratory and lower use of thrombolytic therapy for STEMI might be responsible factors.
authors: Bayraklı Adalet Family Health Center, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Selami
authors: S
authors: Doğan
authors: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Hüseyin
authors: H
authors: Dursun
authors: Division of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Katip Çelebi University, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Hüseyin
authors: H
authors: Can
authors: Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Hülya
authors: H
authors: Ellidokuz
authors: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Dayimi
authors: D
authors: Kaya
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome; D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003325:Coronary Care Units; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Coronary care units; acute coronary syndrome; demographic analyses; mortality; patient outcome