MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION AND THROMBOLYSIS - A COMPARISON OF THE INDIAN AND EUROPEAN POPULATIONS ON A CORONARY-CARE UNIT

We reviewed the ward admission notes of 211 Indian and 192 European pa tients admitted over a period of 12 months to a coronary care unit. Mo re Indian patients had myocardial infarctions (34% vs 27%, p < 0.05); they were more likely to have diabetes mellitus (47% vs 14%, p < 0.001 ), but less likely to smoke (19% vs 67%, p < 0.001). Fewer Indian pati ents were treated with thrombolysis (49% vs 80%, p < 0.001), late pres entation being the principal reason (62% vs 40%, p < 0.05). The referr al rates for exercise stress testing and cardiac catheterisation were not significantly lower for Indian patients. The Indian patient admitt ed into a coronary care unit is more likely to have had a myocardial i nfarction and yet less likely to receive care comparable to that of hi s European counterpart.