Hospitalization profile of patients discharged from the Department of Cardiology of the “Prof. Dr. Juan A. Cattoni” National Institute of Cardiology, Paraguay, 2024

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Paraguay, there is scarce systematized information on the hospitalization profile in cardiology referral centers.

Objective: To determine the hospitalization profile of patients discharged from the Department of Cardiology of the “Prof. Dr. Juan A. Cattoni” National Institute of Cardiology between January and November 2024.

Methodology: An observational, descriptive, and retrospective study based on the institutional registry of hospital discharges from the department. All discharges during the study period that met the established eligibility criteria were included. The following variables were evaluated: sociodemographic variables, nature of hospitalization, discharge diagnosis, number of hospitalizations per person, and length of hospitalization.

Results: A total of 790 discharges corresponding to 726 individuals were recorded; 55 patients (7.6%) had more than one hospitalization during the study period. The median age was 63 years, with a predominance of males (69.8%). Forty-four percent of the patients were from the Central Department, and 25% were from Asunción. Sixty-nine percent of discharges were due to procedures (hemodynamics, cardiac surgery, and device implantation), and 31% were due to clinical management. Ischemic heart disease was the most common condition among patients undergoing cardiac catheterization, while other forms of heart disease predominated in cases of clinical management. The median length of hospitalization was 7 days, significantly longer for cardiac surgery than for hemodynamics catheterization or device implantation.

Ischemic heart diseases predominated among patients undergoing hemodynamics, while other Conclusions: The department primarily serves a male population of middle to advanced age, with a high proportion of patients from metropolitan areas and a significant burden of highly complex procedures associated with prolonged hospital stays. These findings constitute previously unpublished local evidence useful for institutional resource planning.