ABSTRACT
To evaluate the role of sonic trace elements in acute myocardial infarction [AMI] we studied 60 patients with AMI within the first 24 hours and 20 well matched healthy volunteers. AU were subjected to though history taking, clinical examination, plain chest x-ray, resting ECG, Echo-Doppler and laboratoy analysis .The laboratoy tests included the serum 'level of iron, copper, zinc, selenium, magnesium, eythrocytic glutathion peroxidase[EGP], cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides and risk ratio. The patients were followed up during their hospital course for development of complications. The study pointed out a statistically significant increases in serum levels of Iron and copper while statistically significant decreases in serum levels of zinc, magnesium, selenium and EGP in AMI-patients when compared to the control group. The AMI-patients showed a significant positive correlation between the level of serum copper and that of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C and risk ratio, while there was a significant negative correlation to HDL-C. Also, a significant positive correlation between the serum level of zinc and that of cholesterol, LDL-C and risk ratio. However, there was no significant difference between the serum levels of the trace elements and the development of in-hospital complications. the increased serum levels of iron and copper while the decreased that of selenium and zinc play a role in the occurrence of IHD, but has no role in the development of in-hospital complications