Prevalencia hospitalaria y características clínicas de la insuficiencia respiratoria en el servicio de clínica del Hospital Homero Castanier Crespo. Azogues, septiembre 2008 – febrero 2009

Abstract

Objective. To determine the prevalence and the clinical features of the Respiratory Insufficiency (RI) in patients hospitalized in the Service of Clinic of the Homero Castanier Crespo Hospital, of the city of Azogues; in the period between September 2008 to February 2009.-Materials and methods. With a cross-sectional design, collected clinical records of 158 patients, which discussed the distribution of the RI according information: sex, age, education, type of failure, etiology, specific pathology, diagnosis method and evolution.- Results. The prevalence of RI in Clinical Service was 19.3%. The distribution of cases by sex evidences a 2.6 per cent of male predominance. 74.1% (N = 117) of those affected were aged 61 to 87. Two of every three patients had acute respiratory failure. Lung pathology was the main cause of respiratory failure (60.1%). Bronchopneumonia was the pathology of more frequent basis (41.8%) along with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17.1%) and congestive cardiac insufficiency (12%). Discussion. The figures found in our hospital differ from the reported in the international literature. The difference is explained by the fact that our hospital is a centre of medium complexity and reference to grater resolving power centers.