Are cardiovascular rehabilitation programs implemented in young patients with acute coronary syndromes following revascularization procedures?

Abstract

Objectives. The aim of the study was to identify some particularities of young patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) related to risk factors, interventional details and differences between sexes. At the same time, the impact of the Anti-Smoking Law in Romania on these characteristics was monitored. Methods. The study included young patients with ACS treated in the Catheterization Laboratory of the Heart Institute in Cluj-Napoca over a period of 4 years. Risk factors, epidemiological, clinical, biological, ultrasound, interventional findings, and in-hospital evolution were analyzed. Results. Of all 789 patients, the majority (73.26%) were men. The predominant risk factors were smoking and those related to inadequate nutrition (dyslipidemia and overweight). Most of the patients had simple lesions, treated with a single stent. During the 4 years, a decrease in the number of non-smoking patients admitted for ACS (from 13.87% to 10.86%) was observed, and in-hospital evolution improved. Conclusion. The main risk factors in young patients with ACS are related to an inadequate lifestyle, particularly smoking. The first beneficiaries of the Anti-Smoking Law in our country are passive smokers. Inclusion of these patients in cardiovascular rehabilitation programs might bring further benefits. More extensive, nationwide studies are required to confirm this fact.

Keywords

• acute coronary syndrome
• young patients
• anti-smoking law