Changing patterns of cardiovascular risk factors in hospitalized patients with acute myocardial infarction in Babol, Iran

ABSTRACT

To investigate a 10-year trend of major cardiovascular risk factors in patients with acute myocardial infarction [AMI]. A retrospective study Babol Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Babol, Iran A total of 1236 consecutive patients with diagnosis of AMI. Major cardiovascular risk factors including history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, mean of diastolic blood pressure measure ments, cholesterol and triglyceride level on the third day of hospitalization, age and gender were extracted from hospital records. The mean age [ +/- SD] of patients was 60.6 [ +/- 11.2] years and its trend was not significant during the 10-year period. Overall, 62% patients were male and 32% had history of hypertension and their trends were not statistically significant. Roughly, 24% of patients had diabetes mellitus and 32% had a history of smoking; the trend of these two risk factors tended to decrease over 10 years. There was a significant trend toward increasing diastolic blood pressure level at hospitalization [p < 0.0001]. The mean [ +/- SD] of cholesterol was 217 [64] mg/dl and the mean [ +/- SD] of triglyceride was 147 [97] mg/dl. Their trend was not statistically significant. Amultidimensional intervention program is necessary for prevention of cardiovascular risk factors. There is a need to promote health-related educational programs and to control the nutritional behavior and hypertension in order to cope with changing life styles