Abstract

Objective: To study various patterns of chest pain in acute myocardial infarction. Methodology: A total of 993 patients of AMI admitted at Cardiology and Postgraduate Department of medicine in SMHS Hospital Jammu & Kashmir India were enrolled for study. Patients in age group from 18 to 80 years, who presented with acute onset chest pain with high clinical suspicion of AMI irrespective of the age and gender, were included in this study. The study duration was from May 2011 to June 2015. Patients were evaluated for detailed clinical history and examination. Diagnosis of AMI was confirmed on electrocardiographic findings, cardiac troponin assay, echocardiography and coronary angiography wherever needed. Informed consent to participate in this study was taken. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS-11.Results: A total number of 993 patients with AMI were included in the study. Mean age was 54.99±11.25 years with minimum age 20 years and maximum age 80 years. It included 792(79.8%) male and 201(20.2%) female patients with male to female ratio of 3.9:1. Out of these 993 patients 924 (93.0%) patients reported chest pain as the presenting complaint. Remaining 69 (6.9 %) presented with clinical features other than chest pain. Majority of the patients i.e. 834 (83.98%) were between the age of 41-70 years. There were 66 (6.64%) patients between the age of 71-80 years. Only 15 (1.51%) were 30 years and below. Conclusion: There is considerable overlap in chest pain of cardiac as well as non cardiac causes. However, vigilant evaluation of characteristics of chest pain in history taking may help to overcome this dilemma. Severe and prolonged precordial chest pain in a male patient between the age of 41-70 years, with pain radiation to left shoulder, neck and jaw is highly suggestive of AMI