Purpose: To study the incidence of in-hospital mortality following acute myocardial infarction in Lebanon, and its relationship to demographic, clinical variables, and therapeutic strategies.
Patients & methods: Consecutive admissions due to myocardial infarction to 18 medical centers in various regions of Lebanon were entered into the Lebanese Myocardial Infarction Study, conducted between January and July 1996. Information was obtained on age, gender, time of onset of symptoms, delay to hospital arrival, mode of transport, and coronary risk factor analysis. The patients were followed up in hospital for analysis of modes of therapy, complications and mortality.
Results: There were 44 in-hospital deaths among the 433 admissions (10.2%), which is a rate lower than those previously reported from Lebanon. Less than half the patients presented within 6 hours of onset of symptoms and only 28% received thrombolytic therapy. The mortality rate was higher in older age groups, those presenting with cardiogenic shock or pulmonary edema, those with a history of angina, infarction or heart failure, and those who developed recurrent ischemia or infarction during their hospital stay. Furthermore, occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias, mechanical complications, congestive heart failure and left bundle branch block was associated with a higher mortality rate. Treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, aspirin, heparin, nitrates and thrombolytics significantly reduced mortality rates.
Conclusions: The results reveal improvement in the survival of patients after acute myocardial infarction to values similar to those reported from Western countries. Further effort should be expended to enhance early arrival to the hospital, increased thrombolytic therapy and to implement treatment strategies supported by large clinical trials such as use of aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers.