Clinical profile of acute myocardial infarction in young adults

Abstract

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (MI) in young patients, poses the unique problem to treat for physicians. For chest pain in young age group, physicians less likely to consider cardiac cause and may be misdiagnosed for other diseases. In addition, these patients may have different risk factor profiles, clinical presentations, and prognosis compared to older patients. Objective: To study the clinical profile of acute MI in young adults. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional prospective study carried out in patients aged ≤ 40 years and admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of ACS. History collection, clinical examination, ECG, echocardiography, laboratory investigations were performed as a part of routine diagnosis and treatment for all the patients. The risk factors for MI were also recorded. Coronary angiography was performed in all patients. All the patients were given necessary treatment and they were followed up till the discharge from the hospital. These patients were also observed for development of any complication after the myocardial ischemia. Results: The mean age of the patients with acute MI was 35.00 ± 4.67 years, with a maximum number of patients (56, 52.34%) belong to the age of 31–35 years. Majority of the patients (103, 96.26%) were male. The most common presenting symptom (91, 85.05%) was chest pain. One or more risk factors were found to be present in 78 (72.90%) study patients. Smoking was most common (35, 32.71%) risk factor for MI. Acute MI with ST segment elevation was present in 105 (98.13%) patients. Anterior wall MI was the commonest type seen on ECG (103, 96.26%). A majority of the patients (80, 74.77%) had single vessel disease. Cardiogenic shock was the commonest post-MI complication and contributed to all 5 deaths. Conclusion: Young MI is found to be more common in male gender. Smoking and diabetes mellitus found to be most common risk factors for MI. Education of patients about smoking cessation, control of diabetes, and also education about modification of other risk factors of young MI can serve as primary prevention for the disease.