The authors investigated perspectively during 1998 the frequency of early rehospitalizations (within 30 days after discharge) focused on cardiovascular diseases. From a total number of hospitalized patients (2349) early rehospitalized patients accounted for 91% (214 rehospitalizations). Rehospitalizations after cardiac attacks accounted for 45.4% rehospitalizations and for 4.1% of all hospitalized patients. The largest ratio of rehospitalizations on account of cardiovascular diseases were patients with heart failure (39.1%), with cardiac arrhythmias (22.6%) and unstable angina pectoris (21.6%). In relation to the number of total hospital admissions most frequently patients with unstable angina pectoris were rehospitalized within 30 days after discharge (20.1%). Least frequently patients with myocardial infarction, a cerebrovascular attack and hypertension were rehospitalized (3.1%, 3.0%, 1.9%). An important factor which was followed up was the cause of rehospitalization which was assessed in 54.6% of patients. In patients with heart failure in as many as 71%. The authors assume that in this percentage of rehospitalizations it should be possible to avert it and to reduce thus at the same time economic costs. It was not possible to assess exactly the role of social factors in rehospitalizations but it is possible that they were identical with the cause on the part of the patient and participated by 17.5-21% in rehospitalizations (see tables 7 and 11).

Keywords: Aged; Cardiovascular Diseases /therapy/; Female; Humans; Male; Patient Readmission /statistics & numerical data/; Prospective Studies; Time Factors