RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Secondary prevention treatment with aspirin/ clopidogrel, beta blockers, inhibitors of the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone converting system and statins reduces the morbidity and mortality of patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, clinical experience suggests that prescription rates in patients hospitalized in internal medicine departments may be low. AIM: To determine the rate of administration of secondary prevention in ACS patients hospitalized in internal medicine departments; identify predictors for full regimen use and evaluate reasons for non-prescription of the medications. METHODS: Retrospective review of the files of 399 patients with ACS hospitalized in the 5 departments of internal medicine in a university affiliated medical center in 2010. Data were collected on demographic and clinical parameters, findings on current admission, medications at admission and at discharge, and reasons for nonprescription of secondary preventive medications. RESULTS: Overall, 62% of patients were discharged with full secondary preventive treatment. In the remainder, the reason for not prescribing the medications was usually not specified. Factors associated with prescription of the "full regimen" were patient receipt of full secondary prevention treatment prior to admission, hypertension, history of myocardial infarction and revascularization, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction as the reason for the current admission, and performance of percutaneous coronary intervention during the current hospitalization. Atrial fibrillation was a negative predictor. CONCLUSIONS: The prescription of full secondary prevention treatment in ACS patients hospitalized in internal medicine departments is suboptimal. Further efforts are needed to implement comprehensive guideline-based management.