Risk Factors of First Acute Myocardial Infarction: Comparison of Elderly and Non-Elderly: A 24-Year Study

Abstract

Although risk factors of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) are well known, knowledge about the distribution of these risk factors in different subgroups of patients can be used for designing preventive programs. The aim of this study was to assess differences of prevalence of IHD risk factors in elderly and non-elderly patients in their first Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). In this retrospective study, elderly (age > 65; n = 1060) and non-elderly (age ≤ 65; n = 2228) patients with first AMI who were admitted into four teaching hospitals in Tehran between 1982 and 2005 were recruited. Risk factors containing male gender, systolic and diastolic hypertension (HTN), diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, smoking and family history of IHD were compared between the two groups. Among different risk factors, diabetes and systolic HTN were more common in elderly than their non-elderly counterparts, and male gender, smoking, family history of IHD and dyslipidemia were more common in non-elderly patients than elderly ones (p < 0.05 for all comparison). Diastolic HTN showed no significant difference between the two groups. Findings of this study, stating difference of prevalence of risk factors in two elderly and non-elderly groups, can be used by health policy makers to conduct preventive programs for AMI in this country.