[Return to work after acute myocardial infarction]

The aim of this work was to study the professional repercussions of acute myocardial infarction and to analysis medical, social and occupational factors which could influence return to work.

Our study concerns 70 patients less than 66 years old, working before their hospitalization and having been admitted for acute myocardial infarction between January 1-st, 1999 and December 31, 2000 in the Department of Cardiac Resuscitation of hospital La Rabta of Tunis. Data were collected from retrospective review of folders and answers to a questionnaire for which the patients have been summoned in 2002.

There were 70 patients almost exclusively men (n=69). The mean age was 49.0 +/- 6.8 years. The mean follow-up was 27.2 +/- 7.7 months. Sixty one patients (87.1%) have initially been back to work and eight of them lost it secondarily. The average delay of return to work has been 91+/- 111 days. The direct repercussions of myocardial infarction on the professional capacities was observed at the majority of patients.

Despite an important professional repercussions of acute myocardial infarction, our study showed a high rate of return to work with relatively short delays.