MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN WOMEN- AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Background: The most common cause of mortality for women in India and around the world is cardiovascular disease. Theaim of this study is to to identify the important risk factors, study the presenting features and severity of acute myocardialinfarction in women. Materials and Methods: This observational study was carried out in Goa Medical College andHospital for two years where first 60 females who presented with features of acute MI were evaluated clinically for the typeof presentation followed by laboratory investigations. 12 lead ECG and 2D echocardiography was done. Patients were laterfollowed up till coronary angiography was done. Results: People in the age group of 51to60 years were the most commonlyaffected (45%) with a Mean age of occurrence of MI is 63.72 years. Majority of the patients(73.3%) presented with typicalsymptoms of acute MI. Hypertension (60%) being the most common risk factor followed by DM (50%) and Dyslipidemia(45%) respectively. 6 patients (10%) had history of acute MI in family. Elevated LDLlevel (63.3%)is the most common lipidmetabolism disturbance followed by elevated total cholesterol levels (61.7%) and low HDL level (48.3%). NSTEMI andAWMI were the most common ECG presentation with 26.7% occurrence in each group followed by Anterolateral wall MIand IWMI with 20% occurrence in each group. Posterior wall MI, Inferolateral wall MI and IWMI with RVMI were seenrarely. Majority of the patients 48.3% had an ejection fraction of≤ 40%. Most patients had single vessel disease (53.3%).Conclusion: With advancement in cardiology, mainly with good investigation tools like TMT, Echocardiograpy, StressEcho, there should be increased public and medical awareness of heart disease in women, especially who are postmenopausaland have