A Comparative Review of National Registry Systems of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Selective Countries

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) includes ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non- ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and unstable angina. It is among the leading causes of death. Registry systems are designed and implemented to collect and analyze the data related to a specific disease. Decreasing the burden ACS would need some strategies such as designing and implementing a registry system. This study tried to compare ACS registry systems in selected countries. This comparative descriptive research used an applied approach. The data was collected from the national registry of ACS in the USA, Switzerland, and Malaysia and myocardial infarction (MI) registry in Isfahan (as the first MI registry in Iran). Data was mainly collected from articles, journals, websites, and other written documents using a checklist which was designed based on the minimum requirements of a registry system. The validity of the checklist was confirmed by specialists. Since most resources were in English, translations were performed by an expert team to maximize the concordance with the source. Data was analyzed using comparative tables. In all three countries, there were national registries for ACS. They registered all stages including gathering and analyzing data and distribution of information. Although there is no national registry in Iran, an MI registry has been implemented in Isfahan which only covers data collection. The registry systems in the USA and Switzerland are supervised by specialty associations relevant to coronary disease. In Malaysia however, the database is under the control of Ministry of Health. The American ACS had the highest level of experience and the best features among the studied registry systems. Overall, according to the large burden of heart diseases in Iran, designing and implementing a national registry is essential. It could bring a better management for controlling and preventing diseases.