[Factors Related to Prodromal Symptoms in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction]

Prior to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), patients may experience different prodromal symptoms (PSs) that may delay their seeking medical treatment prior to hospitalization.

This study was designed to identify the relationship between PSs and demographics, including gender and age, acute symptoms, and pre-hospital delay time, in patients with AMI.

A cross-sectional study design was applied, and a convenience sampling approach was used to recruit 121 patients in the emergency room of a medical center located in southern Taiwan. Instruments, including a demographic and disease variables datasheet, acute symptoms of AMI, McSweeney Acute and Prodromal Myocardial Infarction Symptom Survey (MAPMISS), and pre-hospital delay time, were used. Chi-square, Fisher exact, and Spearman correlation coefficients tests were used to examine the respective relationships between the targeted variables and PSs. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the important determinants of PSs.

Most (83.5%) of the participants had experienced PSs. The MAPMISS score was significantly associated with age (ρ= -.20, p < .05) and marital status (Z = 2.23, p < .05). Three prodromal symptoms, including pain or discomfort in left breast, pain or discomfort in the legs, and change in headache intensity, were significantly different between male and female participants. Only one symptom, pain or discomfort in the central high chest area, differed significantly among age groups. Binary logistic regression analysis found that participants in the 40-60 years old age group were 3.19 times more likely to develop PSs than their peers in the 65 years old and older group.

The results of this study suggest that PSs should be incorporated into medical education to increase the cognition and awareness of healthcare professionals toward PSs and to improve patient education overall in order to strengthen public awareness regarding the relationship between PSs and AMI and subsequently increase the timeliness of their seeking appropriate medical help.