Myocardial Infarction in the Young *

We reviewed the records of 2,400 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac catheterization at USAF Medical Center Keesler between 1978 and 1984 and found 35 patients (1.5 percent of all cardiac catheterizations) aged 35 years or less (mean age, 32 years) who underwent cardiac catheterization after myocardial infarction. These 35 patients (group 1) were compared to a randomly selected group of 100 patients (group 2) aged 55 years or greater who underwent cardiac catheterization for evaluation of coronary artery disease during the same period. The two groups were compared in terms of angiographic features and risk factors for coronary artery disease. The patients in group 1 had a higher proportion of normal coronary arteries (14 percent [5 patients] vs 0; p<O.Ol) and singlevessel disease compared to group 2, while the incidence of