Nonfatal myocardial infarction of women

Five-hundred women admitted for rehabilitation to the State Hospital for Cardiology 1 to 10 months after myocardial infarction were divided into two groups, viz. group I containing patients less than 40 years of age and group II, in which the patients were older than 41 years. Forty-nine per cent of the patients were blue-collar, whereas 22% of them were white-collar workers; 16.5% had a high qualification, 28% were housewives or retired. The leading symptom at admittance, that is in the post-infarction period, was angina pectoris (32% in group I and 73% in group II). Heart failure, rhythm disturbance and hypertension occurred less frequently. The groups considerably differed from each other in the frequency of risk factors. In group I, smoking (81%), use of anticoncipients (41%) and hyperlipoproteinaemia (32%), while in group II hypertension (49%), smoking (45%), obesity (43%) and hyperlipoproteinaemia (41%) were the main risk factors.