ESC: Recurrent Myocardial Infarction Often Unrecognized

THURSDAY, Aug. 24, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) are more likely to recognize the symptoms but still miss many symptoms, according to a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2023, held Aug. 25 to 28 in Amsterdam.

Kyehwan Kim, M.D., Ph.D., of Gyeongsang National University Hospital in the Republic of Korea, and colleagues examined the association between self-recognition of ischemic symptoms and clinical characteristics and outcomes in a study involving patients with recurrent MI.

The rate of recurrent MI was 9.7 percent in 11,894 MI patients. The researchers found that the rate of self-recognition was 14.4 and 52.0 percent in individuals with first and recurrent MI, respectively. A total of 1,018 patients with recurrent MI were included in analyses. A higher rate of self-recognition was seen for males compared with females (79.3 versus 69.0 percent). Associations were seen for younger patients, higher graduation levels, and living with a spouse with well-recognized symptoms. Chest pain, shortness of breath, cold sweating, and radiating pain were often recognized as MI symptoms (92.9, 32.1, 31.4, and 27.4 percent, respectively); only 1.3 percent of patients recognized stomachache. Cardiogenic shock and heart failure occurred more often in the unrecognized group. Low incidence of recognition was seen in association with a history of stroke and malignancy. A high recognition rate was seen for patients with dyslipidemia. The in-hospital mortality rate was higher for the unrecognized versus the recognized group (6.7 versus 1.5 percent). Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality included unrecognized MI symptoms and a presentation with cardiogenic shock.

"The findings indicate that education is needed for the general public and heart attack survivors on the symptoms that should trigger calling an ambulance," Kim said in a statement.

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