BURDEN OF SMOKING IN ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the burden of smoking among patients who had acute coronary syndrome seen at Philippine Heart Center in terms of its outcomes and expenditures. 199 patients (138 males and 61 females) participated in the study. Smoking habits were recorded including their co-morbidities, GRACE and TIMI scores. Financial data were gathered, tabulated and evaluated. Outcomes of ACS were tabulated in relation to patients9 smoking history and were evaluated. In this study, it shows that among those patients who have acute coronary syndromes, predominantly were smokers, both direct and passive smokers comprising 72% of the patients. In a developing country like ours, the mean amount expended for each person admitted for acute coronary syndrome who smokes (direct and passive) was two hundred forty-seven thousand two hundred sixty pesos (PhP 247, 260.00 ± 276,428.00 excluding physician9s professional fee) which is already a sumptuous that drains one9s finances. And of these, for every smoker patients who had acute coronary syndrome, the mean expenses for each person with each admission were PhP 217,160.00 ± 226,791.09 for those who survived and were discharged and PhP 517,960.00 ± 448,085.23 for those who died. Therefore, smoking is still prevalent among patients who have acute coronary syndrome and with each admission, each patient expend a sumptuous amount of money for the health resources.