Acute Myocardial Infarction: Clinical Variability among Hospitalized Patients

Aim: To determine characteristics, clinical features, modes of presentation & triggers of acute MI. Design: Case series. Place and duration of study: Department of Cardiology and CCU Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur from 1st Apri 2010 to 31st March 2011. Patients and methods: In this study, 1500 patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction, were enrolled. The diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction was based on characteristic clinical features, ECG findings and cardiac enzymes after exclusion of other possible alternative diagnosis. Results: The study was male dominated (n=1080, 72%). Mean age of presentation was 53 +/- 11 years. Majority of patients (90%) presented with typical chest pain and only 10% presented with atypical symptoms. At the time of presentation, 81% of patients were having normal examination and only 19% had signs of left ventricular failure (basal crepts, S3 gallop). Normal electrographic rhythms were observed in 95% of the patients at the time of presentation. Conclusion: Majority of sufferers of MI are males. Smoking is the major risk factor. Majority of the patients presented with typical symptoms within a suitable time.