Introduction:

Trauma is the main cause of death in both developed and developing countries. Blunt cardiac trauma, an underdiagnosed pathology, is the third cause of death, causing lethal consequences because it does not provide timely management, leading to high costs and a burden of morbidity and mortality.

Methods:

Ninety-two patients with the diagnosis of blunt chest trauma were analysed by means of an observational, analytical and prospective study at University Hospital Hernando Moncaleano Perdomo, Neiva, Colombia, in the period between January 1st, 2015, and December 31st, 2016.

Results:

The incidence of blunt cardiac trauma was 29 per 100,000 individuals diagnosed with blunt chest trauma per year. A reference value statistically significant for diagnosis was found for troponin I; electrocardiogram was performed in 100 % of the population study, revealing abnormalities in 82.6 % of the patients; positive findings in the radiographs were correlated with worse prognosis.

Conclusions:

Accurate specificity and sensitivity was found for troponin I with a significant increase 6 hours after trauma; lethal arrhythmias were present in a low percentage of the patients, and an increase in morbidity and mortality was found in patients with positive radiographic findings. However, more patients are needed in order to establish statistical significances.

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