Acute myocardial infarction; frequency of family history of ischemic heart disease [IHD] and related risk factors in the first degree relatives

To determine the frequency of family history of IHD and related risk factors in the first degree relatives of patients suffered from acute myocardial infarction [AMI]. Descriptive study. PMRC Research Centre, Nishtar Medical College, Multan, Cardiology unit Nishtar Hospital Multan and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi Institute of Cardiology, Multan. One year from July 2011 to June 2012. In this descriptive study 331 patients of AMI of either sex and age >/= 20 years admitted in Cardiology unit of Nishtar Hospital Multan and Chaudhary Pervez Elahi Institute of Cardiology Multan were registered. For data collection non-probability convenient sampling technique was used. Informed consent was taken from each patient. The information were recorded in a pre-designed questionnaire. The data were analyzed through SPSS-11. Mean age of the study cases was 54.99+/-11.25 years [Minimum age was 20 years and maximum was 90 years]. Two hundred sixty four [79.8%] were male and 67 [20.2%] were female patients and male to female ratio was 3.9:1. Out of these 331 patients 111 [33.6 %] were having positive family history of IHD. In these 111 [33.6 %] cases history of diabetes was seen in 45 [40.5 %], 43[38.8 %] had history of hypertension and history of hyper-cholesterolemia was present in 23 [20.7 %] of cases. The family history of IHD in addition to traditional risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking is itself an important risk factor for IHD. Relatives of the young patients with IHD should be considered as high risk group and it calls for close surveillance of their first degree relatives and early intervention. All their family members should be advised life style modification, appropriate management of risk factors and regular follow up of even apparently healthy descendents