ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION - DIABETICS V ERSUS NON DIABETICS

We have studied 40 patients with diabetes mellitus (mean age 62 + 8) a nd 45 patients without (mean age 53 + 9). All the patients were consec utively admitted to our coronary care unit with myocardial infarction. We have observed a higher incidence of heart failure (20% vs 13%), at rial fibrillation (17% vs 11%), postinfarction angina (23% vs 13%), an d conduction abnormalities among diabetics. In our patients the higher mortality among diabetics is associated with cardiogenic shock and le ft ventricular failure. We concluded that the poorer outcome among dia betic patients with acute myocardial infarction could be related to an underlying cardiac dysfunction of diabetics in addition to coronary a rtery disease.