Comparison of Risk Factors Profile in Patients Below and Above Forty Years of Age Presenting With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Objective: To compare the frequency of conventional risk factors in patients below and above forty yearsof age presenting with acute myocardial infarction.

Methodology: It was a three years retrospective comparative descriptive study conducted in CardiologyDepartment, PGMI, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. Computerized data of patients admitted with acutemyocardial infarction (AMI) from 1st September 2006 to 31st August 2009 was reviewed. Patients withage <40 years were assigned Group-I while those with ≥40 years as Group-II. Conventional risk factorswere age, sex, pertinent family history, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertensionand diabetes mellitus. Using SPSS version 16, data was analyzed.

Results: A total of 4935 patients were admitted with AMI over the study period. Mean age was 58.4 ±12.37 (20 to 99) years. Group-I had 252 patients (79.4% males), while Group-II had 4683(65.9% males).Positive family history in Group-I vs. Group-II was 43(17.1%) vs. 426(9.1%), [p<0.001], respectively. Hypertensionin Group-I vs. Group-II was 57(22.6%) vs. 1666(35.6%), [p<0.001], respectively. Diabetes mellitusin Group-I vs. Group-II was 29/252(1.5%) vs. 1059(22.6%), [p<0.001], respectively. Hypercholesterolemiain Group-I vs. Group-II was 63(25%) and 583(12.4%), [p<0.001], respectively. Hypertriglyceridemiain Group-I vs. Group-II was 68(27%) vs.1188 (25.4%), [p<0.001], respectively. Smokers in Group-I vs.Group-II were reported in 24(9.5%) vs. 76(1.6%), [p<0.001], respectively.

Conclusion: Positive family history, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and smoking were morefrequent in younger age group while hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the predominant risk factorsin older age group.