Comparing the Mean Age of Acute Myocardial Infarction Occurrance in 1989 and 1999

Abstract Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the leading cause of death in most countries. With the advent of modern coronary care units CCU during the last decades particularly since 1960, the thrombolytic therapy and interventional techniques including angioplasty; the mortality of AMI has decreased significantly. Moreover the vigilant approach towards diagnosis and control of risk factors have resulted increase in mean age of AMI cases. To evaluate the mean age of AMI occurrance in recent years (1999) and to compare it with the mean age of AMI ten years ago (1989) in Dr. Heshmat cardiovascular center of Rasht, we carried out this study on 1000 cases. Mean age of AMI in 1989 at our center was 58.08 years, while in 1999 this appeared as 59.98 years. An increase of 1.9years in mean age of AMI occurrance within 10 years period was statisticaly significant (P<0.0005). Results of this study suggest that, during one decade mean age of AMI incidence in Rasht (north of Iran) has increased. Finally, the results are suggestive of overall positive effects of health knowledge and practice in disease control. The probable improvement in dietary regimen of patients suffering from hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus may include the factors increasing the age at the time of AMI occurrance.