Myocardial infarction in adolescents

Objectives To determine the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes for adolescents diagnosed with acute myocardial infaretion (AMI). Study design We analyzed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to determine the incidence of ill in adolescents (age 13 to IS years). Data from 1998 to 2001 were analyzed. Patients with primary cardiomyopathies, congenital heart lesions, and previous heart transplantation were excluded. Results The estimated incidence of AMI admissions of adolescents in the United States is 157 per year, or 6.6 event's per 1 million patient-years. AMI occurs predominantly in males (80%). Reported incidences of substance abuse and smoking are significantly higher in the adolescents with AMI than in adolescents admitted to the hospital for other conditions (P <.001 for both). Of the 123 sub jects with AMI that we studied, 36 underwent coronary angiography (29%) and 2 underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery (1%). The hospital mortality rate was 0.8%. Conclusions AMI is extremely rare in adolescents. Patient characteristics associated with AMT1 include substance abuse, tobacco use, and male sex. The hospital survival for AMI in adolescents is excellent, and the need for catheter or surgical coronary artery intervention is uncommon.