Characteristics Of Patients Diagnosed With Acute Myocardial Infarction And Stroke During The Same Hospitalization

Aim of this retrospective study was to present the distinctive features of the patients which were diagnosed with myocardial infarction and stroke during the same hospitalization. During last 12 years (period between 01.01.1995-31.12.2006) we identified 21 such patients in our Intensive care unit (ICU) of the Internal medicine department. This group represents 0.22% of all hospitalized patients in this period. None of these patients underwent thrombolysis, percutaneous coronary intervention or aortocoronary bypass operation. There were more female patients in this group (62%). They were older compared to male patients (mean 73+/-10.2 years, CI 67- 79 compared to 68+/-8.1, CI 61-75), and had a greater mortality rate (77%). Fifteen (71%) of these patients died, 5 male and 10 female patients. APACHE II score was higher among female patients than in male (mean 26+/-11, CI 19-33, compared to 19+/-11, CI 9-29), and GCS was somewhat lower (6+/-4, CI 4-8, compared to 8+/-5, CI 4-12). We found statistically significant positive correlation between the incidence of the events (acute myocardial infarction and stroke) and hyperglycaemia (blood glucose >= 6.4 mmol/l) in time of admittance to ICU, also between mortality and hyperglycaemia (p<0.0001). We found statistically significant positive correlation between the incidence of the events and level of total cholesterol >5 mmol/l (p<0.0001), and significant negative correlation with mortality (p<0.0001). We also found statistically significant positive correlation with the presence of the infection and incidence of the events (p<0.0001), and with mortality (p>0.0001). Presence of the infection could be considered as a trigger for these vascular events, although the exact mechanism of this action is not definitely identified still.