Aim: To present information on long-term prognosis and risk factors following an admission with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome.
Methods: A cohort of 653 patients was followed for mortality and causes of death using data from the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS). Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify the prognostic factors.
Results: Overall survival at a maximum follow-up of 45 months was 77.8% (95% CI 74.1-81.1%). Seventy-three per cent of the deaths were clearly due to a cardiovascular cause. Age, male gender, heart failure, ST depression or bundle branch block were all associated with higher short- and long-term risk. Taking aspirin or having a revascularization procedure, over the period of six months following initial hospitalisation were both associated with a lower long-term risk.
Conclusion: Non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes carry a high risk of death over a 4-year period. Conventional risk factors can predict both short- and long-term risk. More invasive management and the use of evidence-based therapies appear to be associated with a lower risk.