Young Adults With Acute Myocardial Infarction in Morocco: An Emerging Cardiovascular Challenge

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in young adults - commonly defined as occurring before the age of 50 years - represents a distinct clinical entity with specific epidemiological and angiographic characteristics. Although its incidence is increasing worldwide, data from North African countries remain limited, and behavioral risk factors, particularly tobacco and cannabis use, appear to play a major role in premature coronary events. We conducted a retrospective single-center descriptive study including patients aged ≤49 years admitted with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) between January and December 2025 at a tertiary university hospital in Morocco. A total of 62 patients were included, with a mean age of 41 ± 7 years and a predominance of males (77%). Smoking was the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factor (64.5%), followed by cannabis use (27.4%). Coronary angiography revealed predominantly single-vessel disease (77.4%), with the left anterior descending artery as the most frequent culprit vessel (64.7%). Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) was identified in 9.7% of patients. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 61.3% of cases, and successful reperfusion was achieved in 74.2%. In-hospital complications included left ventricular systolic dysfunction (23%) and cardiogenic shock (9.7%), while in-hospital mortality remained low (1.6%). AMI in young adults in Morocco is largely driven by modifiable behavioral risk factors and is characterized by predominantly single-vessel coronary disease with generally favorable short-term outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of targeted prevention strategies and optimized acute management to reduce the burden of premature myocardial infarction in this population.