ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION IN OKLAHOMA - ARE WE DIFFERENT

Data regarding: 787 patients admitted to Saint Francis Hospital in Tul sa, Oklahoma, with acute myocardial infarction (MI) were analyzed to d etermine circadian variation and to assess demographic and anatomic ch aracteristics. The study population consisted of 634 men (81%) and 153 women (19%). This cohort displayed a circadian rhythm that nearly dup licated a previously published national data base. As was seen nationa lly, our patients had a peak incidence between 6 AM and noon. Of the t otal population, 448 patients had acute cardiac catheterization allowi ng definition of the infarct vessel. The majority of myocardial infarc tions were from right coronary artery occlusions. Men were more Likely than women to have an anterior MI. Both men and women were more likel y to have an inferior MI if they were less than 65 years of age, thoug h this was more pronounced for women. As the population aged, they wer e more likely to have an anterior myocardial infarction.