title: Myocardial infarction in young patients.
abstract: Myocardial infarction in persons under the age of 45 years accounts for 6% to 10% of all myocardial infarctions in the United States. In this age group, it is predominantly a disease of men. Important risk factors include a family history of myocardial infarction before age 55 years, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and obesity. Unlike older patients, approximately half of young patients have single-vessel coronary disease, and in up to 20%, the cause is not related to atherosclerosis. Coronary angiography may be warranted in young patients with myocardial infarction to define the anatomy of the disease and to permit optimal management.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Marsh
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003663:Decision Trees; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy