Morbidity and mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the General Teaching Hospital "Dr. Agostinho Neto "from Guantánamo

Abstract

The aspects related to the behavior of morbidity and mortality due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the General Teaching Hospital "Dr. Agostinho Neto "from Guantánamo, during the years between 2008 and 2011. The universe studied is 478 patients graduated from this hospital with this diagnosis. A descriptive investigation was performed, obtaining the information of the records of discharges in the Department of Health Statistics in this institution and studied the following variables: morbidity, mortality, smoking habits, mechanical ventilation treatment and in the deceased were specified the direct causes of death. 100% of the deceased were necropsied; the main cause of death being acute respiratory failure. The majority of patients who received mechanical ventilation were alive. There was a relationship between smoking and COPD.