Every minute, a person is admitted to a Unified Health System (SUS) emergency room with acute crises caused by diseases that affect the heart, such as heart failure and acute myocardial infarction. In 2023, hospitalizations resulting from this type of condition totaled 641,980. The alert is from the Brazilian Association of Emergency Medicine (Abramede).
The entity mapped the main cardiovascular problems registered in Brazilian public hospitals, including chronic rheumatic heart disease; acute myocardial infarction; ischemic heart disease; conduction disorders and cardiac arrhythmias; and heart failure.
For the association, the numbers demonstrate that it is essential to strengthen hospital infrastructure and continually train emergency teams to deal with the growing volume and complexity of cases. Throughout this week, Abramed brings together around 1,600 specialists to address the topic during the 9th Brazilian Congress of Emergency Medicine.
Pressure on the SUS
In the entity’s assessment, the numbers reveal “strong pressure” on emergencies across the country. The Southeast, the most populous region, had the highest absolute number of hospitalizations for heart disease, with more than 241,000 cases of this type. States such as São Paulo and Minas Gerais led the number of cases, with 120,142 and 80,191, respectively.
In the Northeast, the pressure on emergencies is also classified as significant, especially in states such as Ceará and Pernambuco, which registered, respectively, 20,374 and 24,331 emergency visits. The numbers correspond to more than 90% of hospitalizations for heart disease in these states.
In the North, the total number of emergency visits was 27,460. Among the federated units, the state of Amazonas stands out, with 5,899 services of this type.
The most critical scenario, according to Abramede, is in Mato Grosso do Sul, where 97% of hospitalizations for heart disease were urgent. The state recorded 10,590 hospitalizations of this type, out of a total of 10,963 visits recorded in 2023 – the highest percentage across the country.
Emergency nature
Also according to the survey, last year more than 85% of hospitalizations related to heart disease were emergency. Acute myocardial infarction, for example, accounted for 152,000 emergency hospitalizations, representing 88% of total hospitalizations for this condition.
Heart failure, one of the most common heart conditions, recorded 194,500 emergency hospitalizations – 94% of total cases of the disease. The condition occurs when the heart is unable to pump blood efficiently, requiring emergency intervention to avoid serious outcomes.
Profile
Men appear to be the most affected group among patients admitted urgently, accounting for 57% of hospitalizations in 2023, while women represented 43% of visits.
The survey also shows that the risk of heart disease increases considerably as age advances – 67% of hospitalizations occurred in patients aged 60 or over. Next appear the groups aged 70 to 79; from 50 to 59 years old; and aged 80 or over.
“Although heart diseases are mostly associated with aging, there is a considerable number of cases of care among young adults, who are often exposed to lifestyle habits that are harmful to cardiovascular health”, warns Abramede.
