Copyright © 1998 by the European Society of Cardiology.
Incidence and prevalence of recognised and unrecognised myocardial infarction in women
The Reykjavik Study
a Icelandic Heart Association (Hjartavernd), Reykjavik
b Department of Medicine, Landspitalinn, University Hospital at Hringbraut, Reykjavik, Iceland
accepted December 20, 1997
Aims
The incidence and prevalence of recognised and unrecognised myocardial infarction were determined in the Icelandic cohort study of 13000 women (the Reykjavik Study), followed for up to 29 years (mean 15 years).
Methods and Results
Women attending the Reykjavik Study, born between 1908 and 1935, were examined in five stages from 1968 to 1991. A health survey included history and ECG manifestations of coronary heart disease. Data retrieved from hospitals, autopsy records and death certificates identified 596 fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarctions to the end of 1992 (61 prior to examination, 320 non-fatal and 215 fatal). The incidence of recognised myocardial infarction ranged from 22 cases/100000/year at 35–39 years to 1800 cases/100000/year at 75–79 years. The incidence of unrecognised myocardial infarction ranged from 18 cases/100000/year at 35 years to 219 cases/100000/year at 75 years. Thirty-three percent of non-fatal myocardial infarctions were unrecognised. More occurred in the younger age groups (40%) than in the older (27%). The prevalence of recognised myocardial infarction was influenced by age and calendar year. In 1990, it was 1·3/1000 at 35 years and 60/1000 at 75 years. Prevalence showed a time trend, tripling in all age groups from 1968–1992. For unrecognised myocardial infarction, prevalence rose from 0·9/1000 at 35 years to 19·2/1000 at 75 years, although there was no evident time trend.
Conclusion
Myocardial infarction in women is very age-dependent, with both incidence and prevalence increasing continuously and steeply with age. There was a significant trend for an increase in prevalence of recognised myocardial infarction from 1968 to 1992. The proportion of unrecognised non-fatal infarctions ranged from 27% in the oldest age group to 40% in the youngest. On average, this form of coronary heart disease is as common as in men.
Key Words: Coronary heart disease • myocardial infarction • women • population survey • prevalence • incidence • trend • unrecognised myocardial infarction • epidemiology
f1 Correspondence: Mrs Lilja S. Jónsdóttir, MD, Icelandic Heart Association (Hjartavernd), Lagmuli 9, IS-108 Reykjavik, Iceland.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. G. Canto, R. J. Goldberg, M. M. Hand, R. O. Bonow, G. Sopko, C. J. Pepine, and T. Long Symptom Presentation of Women With Acute Coronary Syndromes: Myth vs Reality Arch Intern Med, December 10, 2007; 167(22): 2405 - 2413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. Steingrimsdottir, V. Haraldsdottir, I. Olafsson, V. Gudnason, and H. M. Ogmundsdottir Monoclonal gammopathy: natural history studied with a retrospective approach Haematologica, August 1, 2007; 92(8): 1131 - 1134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Cicala, G. de Simone, M. J. Roman, L. G. Best, E. T. Lee, W. Wang, T. K. Welty, J. M. Galloway, B. V. Howard, and R. B. Devereux Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of Wall-Motion Abnormalities in Adults Without Clinically Recognized Cardiovascular Disease: The Strong Heart Study Circulation, July 10, 2007; 116(2): 143 - 150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 T. B. Harris, L. J. Launer, G. Eiriksdottir, O. Kjartansson, P. V. Jonsson, G. Sigurdsson, G. Thorgeirsson, T. Aspelund, M. E. Garcia, M. F. Cotch, et al. Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study: Multidisciplinary Applied Phenomics Am. J. Epidemiol., May 1, 2007; 165(9): 1076 - 1087. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. A. Ikram, M. Hollander, M. J. Bos, J. A. Kors, P. J. Koudstaal, A. Hofman, J.C.M. Witteman, and M. M.B. Breteler Unrecognized myocardial infarction and the risk of stroke: the Rotterdam Study. Neurology, November 14, 2006; 67(9): 1635 - 1639. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. O. Arnar, S. Thorvaldsson, T. A. Manolio, G. Thorgeirsson, K. Kristjansson, H. Hakonarson, and K. Stefansson Familial aggregation of atrial fibrillation in Iceland Eur. Heart J., March 2, 2006; 27(6): 708 - 712. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. de Torbal, E. Boersma, J. A. Kors, G. van Herpen, J. W. Deckers, D. A.M. van der Kuip, B. H. Stricker, A. Hofman, and J. C.M. Witteman Incidence of recognized and unrecognized myocardial infarction in men and women aged 55 and older: the Rotterdam Study Eur. Heart J., March 2, 2006; 27(6): 729 - 736. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Kattainen, V. Salomaa, T. Harkanen, A. Jula, R. Kaaja, Y. A. Kesaniemi, M. Kahonen, L. Moilanen, M. S. Nieminen, A. Aromaa, et al. Coronary heart disease: from a disease of middle-aged men in the late 1970s to a disease of elderly women in the 2000s Eur. Heart J., February 1, 2006; 27(3): 296 - 301. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P.J. Devereaux, L. Goldman, S. Yusuf, K. Gilbert, K. Leslie, and G. H. Guyatt Surveillance and prevention of major perioperative ischemic cardiac events in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery: a review Can. Med. Assoc. J., September 27, 2005; 173(7): 779 - 788. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. F. Col and S. G. Pauker The Discrepancy between Observational Studies and Randomized Trials of Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Did Expectations Shape Experience? Ann Intern Med, December 2, 2003; 139(11): 923 - 929. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Kattainen, A. Reunanen, S. Koskinen, T. Martelin, P. Knekt, and A. Aromaa Secular changes in prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in elderly Finns Scand J Public Health, October 1, 2002; 30(4): 274 - 280. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Rosengren, C.-L Spetz, M Koster, N Hammar, L Alfredsson, and M Rosen Sex differences in survival after myocardial infarction in Sweden. Data from the Swedish National Acute Myocardial Infarction register Eur. Heart J., February 2, 2001; 22(4): 314 - 322. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. E. Sheifer, B. J. Gersh, N. D. Yanez III, P. A. Ades, G. L. Burke, and T. A. Manolio Prevalence, predisposing factors, and prognosis of clinically unrecognized myocardial infarction in the elderly J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., January 1, 2000; 35(1): 119 - 126. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|