Comparison of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Patients with STEMI and NSTEMI

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular risk factors contribute substantially to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but their distribution may vary between ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). This study compared selected cardiovascular risk factors among patients with STEMI and NSTEMI. Methods & Materials: This article is a analysis of data from a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Cardiology, Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogra, from April to September 2013. This study included 100 patients with AMI: 50 STEMI and 50 NSTEMI. Dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were compared using the reported Z test of proportions. Results: Dyslipidaemia was present in 84% of STEMI and 74% of NSTEMI patients (p=0.46); diabetes mellitus in 30% and 20%, respectively (p=0.36); and hypertension in 28% and 24%, respectively (p=0.52). None of these between-group differences was statistically significant. In the full AMI sample, the study reported a mean age of 54±12.5 years, 76% male sex, 68% smoking, 80% dyslipidaemia, and 12% family history of MI. Conclusion: In this sample, dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were numerically more frequent among STEMI patients, but the differences from NSTEMI were not statistically significant. Larger, contemporary studies are needed before generalizing these findings.