Smoking is a more dangerous risk factor than metabolic syndrome in Egyptian patients with acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

The effect of metabolic syndrome (MS) and other risk factors of myocardial infarction (MI) are not consistent in all studies. Aim: To assess the incidence of each risk factor in our community as a predictor of acute myocardial infarction. Methods: Fifty patients (Pts) admitted to the main university hospital with acute myocardial Infarction were studied. All risk factors were recorded as well as echocardiographic measurements. Metabolic syndrome components were defined as detailed in the ATP III report: (1) waist circumference >102 cm in men and >88 cm in women, (2) fasting triglycerides ⩾150 mg/dl, (3) HDL cholesterol 30 : 14/13 vs. 5/18, p = 0.02; waist >102, 88 in m and f respectively: 18/9 vs. 7/14, p = 0.01. Comparison with Egyptian prevalence: data in our study vs. prevalence in Egypt above age 15 yr respectively: Diabetes: 30 (60%) vs. 10%, p = 0.000; HT 24 (48%) vs. 26%, p = 0.007; smoking 76% vs. 40 in males, p = 0.000; Ms 27 (54%) vs. 24%, p = 0.0003. Conclusions: Smoking was the highest risk factor among pts with acute MI (76%0 followed by positive family history (72%) then diabetes (60%), metabolic s. (54%), HT (48%). We highlight the danger of smoking beside other factors as predictors of MI in Egyptian population.