Studies on Clinical Prediction of Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Myocardial infarction frequently occurs suddenly, and the prediction of its onset is said to be difficult. However, concept of coronary risk factors have drawn attention through epidemiological studies on ischemic heart disease. Since anginal pain is frequently experienced prior to the attack of myocardial infarction, pursuit of coronary risk factors and angina pectoris makes prediction of myocardial infarction possible to Results and Discussion some extent. Materials and Methods In 11, 188 cases of ambulant and hospitalized patients and subjects admitted for examination, follow-up studies by questionaires and direct examination were carried out. Prognosis was established in 3, 851 cases. 2621 cases of these after exclusion of young subjests below the age of 30 and insufficiently examined subjects, and 110 cases observed from pre-attack period in other institutions, a total of 2, 731 cases, were employed in this study. They were subdivided in following three groups: group of 265 cases of myocardial infarction (MI) (208 males and 57 females), group of 215 cases of angina pectoris (AP) (132 males and 83 females) and group of 2, 251 cases of control subjects (CS) (1 .253 males and 998 females). In MI group, 165 cases (132 males and 33 females) had experienced anginal attack prior to (MIA), AP group consisted of the patients of angina pectoris without subsequent development of myocardial infarction for at least one year of follow-up period. Coronary risk factors were compared among MI group, AP group and CS group. Moreover, these factors and clinical course of angina pectoris were also compared between AP group and MIA group. There were little difference in average age among these groups.