title: Correlation between symptomatology and site of acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We determined the occurrence of presenting symptoms in patients with different sites of acute myocardial infarction after controlling for age and conventional risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital-based study of patients hospitalized because of first anterior (n=731), inferior (n=719) and lateral (n=96) infarction in Clinical Hospital Split between 1990 and 1994. Data form about presenting symptoms and clinical profile was completed for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anterior infarctions were more often presented by headache (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.67, 95% CI=1.06-2.62), weakness (OR=1.60, 95% CI=1.31-1.96), dyspnea (OR=1.40, 95% CI=1.14-1.72), cough (OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.59-3.16), vertigo (OR=2.04, 95% CI=1.40-2.99) and tinnitus (OR=2.09, 95%CI=1.06-4.14). Inferior infarctions were more often associated with epigastric (OR=1.71, 95%CI=1.30-2.24), neck (OR=1.47, 95% CI=1.10-1.98) and jaw pain (OR=2.16, 95% CI=1.42-3.27), sweating (OR=1.56, 95% CI=1.27-1.92), nausea (OR=2.01, 95%CI=l.64-2.46), vomiting (OR=1.55, 95% CI=1.22-1.97), belching (OR=1.57, 95% CI=1.21-2.03) and hiccups (OR=2.88, 95%CI=1.53-5.42). Patients with lateral infarctions were more likely to complain of left arm (OR=1.80, 95% CI=1.07-3.05), left shoulder (OR=1.82, 95% CI=1.19-2.79) and back pain (OR=2.40, 95% CI=1.28-4.46). Pain was less frequently reported by hypercholesterolemic (P=l.4x10(-7)), patients over 70 years (P=0.002), women (P=0.0007) and those with non-triggered infarction (P=0.0009), whereas those over 70 (P=1.7x10(-6)) and men (P=0.0003) were less likely to report other relevant symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests a linkage between different infarction sites and specific groups of symptoms. Furthermore, coronary patients should give their full attention to non-specific symptoms and any kind of discomfort.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Medical Services Center, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Culić
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mirić
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eterović
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors