The risk factors of acute coronary syndrome in patients over 65 years old at Thong Nhat hospital of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

Abstract

Background: Elderly patient group is increasing quickly. The same phenomenon is seen in Vietnam. The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) also increases with age. This was seen at Thong Nhat hospital, where was a high proportion of elderly patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This is why there was a need for studies on the risk factors and prevention of ACS for the elderly patients in Vietnam. Objectives: We assess the prevalence of common risk factors in the elderly patients with ACS admitted to Thong Nhat hospital. Method of Study: A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Thong Nhat hospital in Ho Chi Minh city from 1/2009 to 1/2011, in which 338 patients with ACS were divided in two groups: 214 patients over 65 years (62 females and 152 males) formed elderly group and 124 patients ≤ 65 years (21 females and 103 males) formed non-elderly group. The cardiovascular risk factors of ACS were hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, dyslipidemia and obesity (BMI ≥23 kg/m2). A comparison of risk factors between the two group was done by Chi square. Results: The number of female with was higher in the elderly group with ACS. Most of the elderly group had multiple risk factors. The percentage of 1, 2, 3 and 4 risk factor were 3.3; 32.2; 41.1% and 23.4%, respectively and they were similar to non-elderly group. In the elderly group, the prevalence of HT and DM were 84.6% and 29.0% higher than that in the non elderly group; the prevalence of smoking and dyslipidemia were 22.0% and 56.9% lower than that in the non-elderly group. The prevalence of the elderly patients with angina pectoris was 41.1% higher than that in the non-elderly group but the prevalence of non-typical angina was 42.1% higher than that in the non-elderly group (16.1%). The prevalence of prior myocardial infarction in elderly group was 18.2%, while the prevalence of obesity was 35.8% similar to that of the non-elderly group. Conclusion: In elderly patients with ACS, multiple risk factors were common. The prevalence of HTN and DM was higher, smoking and dyslipidemia were lower, being overweight and having a prior myocardial infarction was similar to that of the non-elderly group.