title: Myocardial infarction in old people. The influence of diabetes mellitus.
abstract: The clinical features and outcome were determined for 100 consecutive patients aged 65 years or older with a history of diabetes mellitus who presented to hospital with acute myocardial infarction. Each case was compared with an age- and sex-matched nondiabetic control also admitted to hospital with acute myocardial infarction. Chest pain was equally common in both groups and was the main presenting symptom. Cardiac failure was a more frequent accompaniment in the diabetics, despite the lack of evidence for greater infarct size in this group. The outcome was worst for female diabetics, of whom 46% died. Contrary to popular teaching, painless myocardial infarction is not a specific feature of elderly diabetics.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bayer
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chadha
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Pathy
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000150:complications; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis