Prevalence of Risk Factors and Treatment Adherence in Patients With Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Analysis

Introduction Myocardial infarction (MI) remains a major cause of global morbidity and mortality [1]. Obesity, smoking, dyslipidemia, and comorbidities significantly raise the risk of both initial and recurrent MI [2][3]. Managing these risk factors is vital for reducing complications and improving outcomes. This study examines the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with first or recurrent MI. Aim To determine the most frequent risk factors for MI, evaluate their management following a MI and assess their impact on patient outcomes and prognosis, aiming to uncover areas where care could be improved. Methods A retrospective analysis of medical records from 1262 patients treated between September 1 and December 31, 2023 examined potential risk factors, including demographic and clinical characteristics. Statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, χ² tests for categorical variables, and t-tests for continuous variables, was performed using SPSS 29.0.1 software. Results The study included 1262 patients of whom 960 experienced MI for the first time and 302 had a recurrent MI. The average age of patients experiencing MI for the first time was 65 years for men and 70 years for women, while the average age of those with recurrent MI was 68 years for men and 74 years for women (t = -5.18, p < 0.001). Among the first-time MI group, approximately 69% of patients were overweight or obese (χ² = 0.80, p = 0.37). 30% of men and 17% of women were smokers (χ² = 4.01, p = 0.045). In the recurrent MI group 70% of patients were overweight or obese and 28% of patients were smokers (χ² = 3.92, p = 0.048). Comorbidity analysis revealed that 65% of patients with recurrent MI had arterial hypertension, 44% had dyslipidemia, 21% had diabetes mellitus, 32% had heart failure, 15% had atrial fibrillation, while patients diagnosed with MI for the first time had fewer comorbidities (χ² = 3.88, p = 0.049). The average low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was 3.5 mmol/L for patients with a first MI compared to 4.2 mmol/L for those with recurrent MI (t = -8.95, p < 0.001). Medication use analysis showed that 40% of patients with recurrent MI were taking statins compared to 26% of those with a first MI (χ² = 5.32, p = 0.021), 25% of recurrent MI patients were taking aspirin, compared to 17% in the first MI group (χ² = 4.57, p = 0.033). The average follow-up duration was 7 months with a median of 5 months (p < 0.05). Conclusions This study shows important insights into the clinical characteristics of patients experiencing MI, revealing notable differences between those with first-time MI and recurrent MI patients. Patients with recurrent MI exhibited a higher prevalence of risk factors and lower compliance with statin and aspirin therapy, despite their increased cardiovascular risk. These results emphasize the critical need for better risk factor management, lifestyle modifications and adherence to evidence-based pharmacological treatments.