Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2019.281
Historical Development and Work of the Coronary Care Unit of Bjelovar General Hospital
Ružica Prpić
; Bjelovar General Hospital, Bjelovar, Croatia
Andreja Čleković- Kovačić
; Bjelovar General Hospital, Bjelovar, Croatia
Abstract
The development of cardiological treatment as part of the Department of Internal Medicine
at the Bjelovar General Hospital (GH) started in 1957 with the acquisition of the first electocardiography
device. In order to improve care for cardiologic patients, the Coronary Care Unit was opened in 1974,
with only two beds at the time. The Coronary Unit has since been expanded (as part of the Internal
Medicine Intensive Treatment Unit), and now comprises seven beds with an additional seven beds for
postintensive/postcoronary care. It is equipped with modern monitoring devices for central monitoring
as well as mandated and repeatedly modernized mechanical equipment. The physicians at the
Department of Internal Medicine at the Bjelovar GH formed the Bjelovar registry for acute myocardial
infarction in 2001, which contains digital record of specific medical history data, laboratory findings,
and clinical and pharmacotherapy data gathered during the presentation, treatment, and release of
patients. At the time of its formation the Bjelovar registry was, along with the registry of the Zagreb
Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, the only registry for patients suffering for
myocardial infarction in Croatia and the only hospital registry containing data on pharmacotherapy.
Inclusion of the Bjelovar-Bilogora County in the Croatian Network for Interventional Treatment for
Acute Myocardial Infraction in 2005 allowed treatment of patients in the most efficient way – with
percutaneous coronary intervention. In the period between 2010 and 2018, an annual average of 200
patients were referred for invasive procedures to the University Hospital Centre Zagreb, the University
Hospital “Merkur”, the Special Hospital Magdalena, and the University Hospital Dubrava. A significant
increase in patients treated at the Bjelovar GH Coronary Unit (coronary/postcoronary care) has been
observed over the past several years, with for example 402 patients having been treated in 2018.
Keywords
cardiology; coronary care unit; acute myocardial infarction
Hrčak ID:
230285
URI
Publication date:
10.12.2019.
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