REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN-HOSPITAL ADMISSION RATES FOR SUSPECTED AND VERIFIED MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN NORD-TRONDELAG COUNTY, NORWAY

Objective -To investigate differences in the occurrences of hospitaliz ed suspected and verified acute myocardial infarction (AMI) between th e two hospital regions, Namdal and Innherred, within a single county i n Norway. Design -A descriptive epidemiological study. Setting -The co unty of Nord-Trondelag in the central part of Norway (131 000 inhabita nts). Subjects -Patients admitted for suspected AMI 13 March -11 June 1995. Main outcome measures -Proportion of verified AMI among patients admitted. Regional incidence rates for AMI. Results -Among 347 patien ts admitted to hospitals with suspected AMI, AMI was verified in 120 ( 35%), corresponding to an annual incidence rate of 509 and 294 per 100 000 (p<0.001). Conclusions -Among patients admitted with suspicion of AMI, approximately one third had API II. The study revealed substanti al differences for AMI between two neighbouring hospital regions withi n one county in Norway. This difference may have implications for the planning and cost of hospital care.