Coronary Heart Disease in Rural NSW: One Country Hospital's Experience A SURVEY OF PATIENTS ADMITTED WITH MYOCARDIAL INFARCTIONS TO THE ARMIDALE AND NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT HOSPITAL, ARMIDALE NSW

摘要

ABSTRACT:Rural Australians are often viewed as living in idyllic surroundings and enjoying good health. A retrospective study of 62 patients admitted to the Armidale and New England District Hospital between January 1989 and December 1990 with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction was carried out with the purpose of identifying the characteristics and risk factor prevalence of those people who had suffered a myocardial infarction in a specific rural area demonstrated inconsistencies with this view. Age, gender, occupation, cigarette smoking, previous history of hypertension, weight, and serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were examined to provide information for community based prevention programs and nursing discharge planning. Results were consistent with those of the National Heart Foundation (1988), and demonstrated a high incidence of smoking and a previous history of hypertension, which was particularly prevalent in blue collar workers/farmers. Conclusions were problematic regarding weight and levels of serum cholesterol and triglycerides as insufficient data was documented.