Mahmoodi M J, Gharooni M, Moradmand S, Rezaei N,
Volume 60, Issue 5 (15 2002)
Abstract
Myocardial infarction sequel of coronary artery diseases, can be sometimes asymptomatic, called silent myocardial infarction. Some risk factors predispose the patients to this condition. In this study, we intend to determine the predisposing factors in such patients.
Methods and Materials: We included those patients with electrocardiogram changes, consistent with myocardial infarction, who had not any symptoms of ischemia or a previous history of coronary artery disease, consulted for preoperative work up of eye surgery during the year 2000.
Results: We analyzed 100 patients with the diagnosis of silent myocardial infarction. (59 males and 41 females). Among our patients. 99 percent were above age 50 years of age. Their mean age at the time of study was 69.7 years. 78 percent of patients were illiterate. In 41 of them body mass index was above the normal limits (overweight and obese). Their past medical history revealed that 46 patients had hypertension, 38 patients had hyper-lipidemia. and 26 patients had diabetes mellitus. Also, a positive family history of coronary artery disease was seen in 52 percent of the patients. The rate of cigarette smokers and opium addicts, among our patients, was 33 and 13 percents. respectively. Analysis of electrocardiogram changes, showed that 43 patients had inferior myocardial infarction, 24 had antero-septal. and 17 of them suffered from anterior myocardial infarction.
Conclusion: Almost all of our patients with silent myocardial infarction were in old age group. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, overweight, hyper-lipidemia, and a positive family history of coronary artery disease were the most important predisposing factors, found in such patients, thus taking into account these predisposing factors and control of them would dramatically reduce the prevalence of morbidity and mortality of silent myocardial infarction.
