Clinical, Demographic, and Angiographic Profiles of Amarnath Pilgrims Presenting With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• High-altitude medicine
• Public health

Background:

• High altitude poses significant cardiovascular health challenges.
• No prior data existed on acute coronary syndrome (ACS) among Amarnath pilgrims.
• Pilgrimage settings present unique risks for cardiac events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical and angiographic profiles of ACS in Amarnath pilgrims.
• To identify demographic characteristics, risk factors, and presentation patterns of ACS.
• To analyze in-hospital outcomes and mortality predictors in this specific population.

Main Methods:

• A hospital-based, prospective, observational study.
• Inclusion of patients presenting with ACS during the Amarnath pilgrimage (2022-2023).
• Data collection on demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, angiographic findings, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Sixty male pilgrims (mean age 51.19 years) with ACS were studied.
• Common risk factors included hypertension (58.3%), smoking (38.3%), and diabetes (30%).
• ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was prevalent (76.66%), with significant Killip class III/IV presentation (41.6%) and 15% in-hospital mortality.

Conclusions:

• 40% of pilgrims presented with advanced Killip class, and 15% died in-hospital.
• Delays in hospitalization (>6 hours) and advanced Killip class predicted mortality.
• Timely intervention is critical for improving outcomes in Amarnath pilgrims with ACS.