Correspondence
Rashmi,
Associate Professor, Dept of Community Medicine,
K.S.Hegde Medical Academy,
Mangalore-18, Nitte University Karnataka, India.
phone: 9880496567
E-mail: dr.rashmi.kundapur@gmail.com

Background: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) continues to be a major public health problem in the industrialized world and it is becoming an increasingly important problem in the developing countries also.

Method: The diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) was based on the WHO criteria. Patients who were aged <15 years and > 40 years, who did not meet the WHO criteria for the diagnosis of MI were excluded. The data were prospectively recorded as per the protocol. In all the participants, details of the age, sex and occupation were recorded, together with details of smoking, alcohol use, a known history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension and a significant family history of ischaemic heart disease. Weight, height, fasting blood glucose, cardiac enzymes (CPK- MB) and the echocardiographic status was evaluated in all the patients.

Results: The mean age of the patients with myocardial infarction was 37.03 years, with a maximum number of patients (70%) in the age group of 35-40 years. There were no patients from the below 25 years age group. Smoking was most common risk factor of MI (70%) in young adults. A family history of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was present in 13.33% of the patients. Hypertension, diabetes and a body mass index of >25kg/m2, each formed 10% of the risk factors. The most common symptom was chest pain (90% patients). Two third of the patients had anterior wall MI. A majority of the patients (57.14%) had single vessel disease, which was seen on coronary angiography.

Conclusion: Smoking was most common cause of the MI (70%) in young adults. The mean time of presentation of MI after the onset of the symptoms was 20.73hrs. Two third of the patients had anterior wall MI.

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