One year mortality outcomes of all coronary and intensive care unit patients with acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina or other chest pain in Hamilton, Ontario, a city of 375,000 people.

Over a one year period (1979 to 1980) all cardiac admissions to the coronary care units (CCU) and all intensive care unit (ICU) overflow admissions in Hamilton, Ontario, a city of approximately 375,000 people, were documented. Mortality status was determined one year following admission. There were 2004 individuals with either acute myocardial infarction (810), unstable angina (811) or other chest pain (783) as their first CCU/ICU admitting diagnosis that year. Mortalities in-hospital and by one year were: acute myocardial infarction 17 and 27%, respectively; unstable angina 1.5 and 9.2%, respectively; and other chest pain 1.4 and 3.1%, respectively. Of one year mortality following acute myocardial infarction, 63% occurred during the initial hospitalization, whereas this figure was 16% for unstable angina. For acute myocardial infarction, female mortality was greater than male mortality overall and in all but one age category. Mortality following acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina was strongly related to age. Repeat CCU/ICU admission occurred in 24% of acute myocardial infarction, 28% of unstable angina and 15% of other chest pain, while a total of death or nonfatal CCU/ICU readmission occurred in 31% of acute myocardial infarction, 32% of unstable angina and 17% of other chest pain.