title: Heart Failure Predictors in a Group of Patients with Myocardial Infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study considers of the prevalence of heart failure (HF) in patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the University Hospital Centre of Tirana (UHCT) "Mother Theresa"; the demographic and clinical characteristics of the sample during hospitalization; and the main predictors of heart failure occurrence inside the group of patients suffering an AMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a period of study from 2013-2015 we studied demographic and clinical data from 587 consecutive patients presenting with AMI; Framingham criteria were adopted for classifying patients with HF upon admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A Killip class ≥ 2 was the main diagnostic criterion of HF during hospitalisation. HF was identified in 156 patients (26.6%). The subgroup with HF had significant differences when compared with the other patients with regard to age, sex (male), heart rate upon admission, systolic blood pressure on admission, previous episodes of AMI, glycemia on admission, previous antihypertensive treatment, previous revascularization procedures, peripheral vascular disease, chronic renal disease, ejection fraction (EF), anemia, and atrial fibrillation presence. Independent predictors for HF occurrence in the logistic regression model were EF, previous revascularization, peripheral vascular disease, age, sex, previous AMI, systolic blood pressure upon admission, and anaemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a conclusion, HF seems to be a common occurrence after AMI, in spite of changes in the epidemiological profile of the acute coronary syndrome. An increase in the incidence is registered as well, parallel to a decrease in the mortality following AMI. Attention must be shown for highly risked subpopulations, aged persons, patients with the previous coronary disease, and concomitant conditions.
authors.affiliation: Service of Cardiology, University Hospital Centre "Mother Theresa", Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Sokol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Myftiu
authors.affiliation: Service of Cardiology, University Hospital Centre "Mother Theresa", Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Petrit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bara
authors.affiliation: Service of Cardiology, University Hospital Centre "Mother Theresa", Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Ilir
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sharka
authors.affiliation: Biomedical and Experimental Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Artan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shkoza
authors.affiliation: Service of Cardiology, University Hospital Centre "Mother Theresa", Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Xhina
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Belshi
authors.affiliation: Biomedical and Experimental Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Edlira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rruci
authors.affiliation: Biomedical and Experimental Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Gentian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vyshka
keywords: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI); Heart Failure (HF); ejection fraction (EF); epidemiology; prognosis