Survival after acute myocardial infarction in Asian and white patients in Birmingham.

OBJECTIVE To compare outcome after infarction in South Asian patients, comprising Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and individuals of East African origin, in Birmingham with that in white patients in the same city. DESIGN A prospective case-control study. SETTING Three large district general hospitals. PATIENTS 102 South Asian patients discharged from hospital after an acute myocardial infarction were matched for age, sex, time and season of infarct, and hospital of admission with white patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Survival and complication. RESULTS There was no significant difference in survival or complications during the four years after an acute myocardial infarction in South Asian and white patients. CONCLUSION The survival and clinical course of South Asian and white patients discharged after an acute myocardial infarction were similar over a four year period.