Study Of Acute Myocardial Infarction In Young Adults In A Tertiary Care Hospital – A Prospective Observational Study

Abstract

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in young adults is an emerging clinical concern, often differing from older populations in terms of risk factors and presentation. This study aimed to assess the epidemiological, clinical, and angiographic characteristics of young patients with AMI admitted to a tertiary care hospital.

Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology at SRM Institute of Medical Sciences, Chennai, from February 2023 to July 2024. A total of 72 patients aged ≤40 years diagnosed with AMI were included. Diagnosis was based on symptoms of myocardial ischemia, ECG changes, elevated cardiac biomarkers (CK-MB/troponin-I), and imaging. Patient demographics, risk factors, symptom profiles, investigation findings, and short-term outcomes were analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 21.0.

Results: Most patients (69.4%) were aged 36–40 years; 80.6% were male. Chest pain was universally reported. Sweating (30.6%) and dyspnea (8.3%) were less common. Risk factors included diabetes (54.2%), hypertension (38.9%), smoking (19.4%), and alcohol use (22.2%). BMI was normal in 77.8%, with 12.5% overweight and 9.7% obese. According to the Killip classification, 90.3% were in Class I. Anterior wall infarction (52.8%) was most frequent. PTCA was done in 70.8% for LAD lesions and 29.2% for RCA. SVD was seen in 69.4% of cases; TVD in 6.9%. Thrombolysis with streptokinase was performed in 26.4%.

Conclusion: AMI in young adults predominantly affects males and is associated with modifiable risk factors. Early detection and preventive strategies are essential for improving outcomes in this population.