Assessment of Prevalent Risk Factors and Warning Signs and Symptoms among Myocardial Infarction Patients Attending Cardiology Department, Skims

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a challenging clinical and public health problem among older adults in the United States, and elderly patients often have an atypical clinical picture. There is gender difference in occurrence of symptoms, women reported more nausea and shortness of breath than men. The absence of typical clinical signs hinders the management of coronary heart disease. The study aims to assess prevalent risk factors and warning signs & symptoms of MI patients and to find out difference in presentation of warning signs & symptoms of MI as per their age and gender.A descriptive research design that involved total enumerative sampling technique to collect data from the 150 MI patients at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Kashmir, using a “self-structured interview schedule”. Results: The findings revealed that most of the study subjects were males i.e. (72.7%0 and majority were less than 60 years of age i.e. 55.3% .There was a significant age difference in symptom presentation for sudden pain in the chest(p=0.041), sudden discomfort in the chest(p=0.041)sudden tightness in the chest(p=0.039), sudden pressure in the chest(p=0.040) palpitation(p=0.041), chest pain radiating to jaw ( p=0.045 ), chest pain radiating to neck (p=0.05 ), epigastric pain (p=0.041), nausea,(p=0.041), vomiting (p=0.039), belching (p=0.040) , indigestion, (p=0.046 ), shortness of breath( p=0.040 ), faint (syncope),(p=0.049), sudden sleep disturbances(p=0.048), hot or cold sensations (p=0.047 ) .In gender, there was a significant gender difference with males showing for sudden pain in the chest(p=0.047), sudden discomfort in the chest (p=0.047)sudden tightness in the chest(p=0.047), and sudden pressure in the chest (p=0.047) vomiting (p=0.047). Conclusion: Majority of the patients were smokers, physically inactive. Warning signs and symptoms of MI are influenced by age and gender. Less than 60 years patients have higher odds for typical warning signs & symptoms and more than 60 years have higher odds for atypical warning signs and symptoms of MI. Male patients have higher odds for typical signs and female patients have higher odds for atypical warning signs and symptoms of MI.