INCREASED MORTALITY FROM INADEQUATE PROVISION OF CORONARY-CARE UNIT FACILITIES

Over a B-month period, all patients admitted to the Royal United Hospi tal, Bath, with acute ischaemic heart disease were prospectively follo wed for the period of their hospital stay. Strict admission and discha rge criteria were defined for the Coronary Care Unit (CCU), so that gr oups of patients could be identified in which the treatment was not id eal. The mortality in the groups of patients who were admitted to the CCU without delay and for an appropriate length of time was 5.1% (18/3 55). It was significantly higher overall in the groups of patients who were either not admitted(l4.3%, 4/28) or whose admission was delayed (17.4%, 4/23). The results underline the importance of the provision o f adequate coronary care facilities.