[Atypical forms of acute myocardial infarction and difficulties in their diagnosis based on data from the Kaunas...

Data on the clinical course of acute myocardial infarction (MI) in 645 patients included in the 1984 MI register in Kaunas are presented. The symptoms are analysed in 102 patients with uncommon clinical pattern of acute MI, and causes of diagnostic errors are investigated in 52. The clinical picture was uncommon in 16% of the registered cases. High hospital mortality rates were common for those patients, elderly ones in particular. The review of diagnostic errors in patients with undiagnosed acute MI demonstrated that an uncommon clinical picture as well as underestimation or incorrect interpretation of diagnostic criteria were the principal causes of the failure to make intravital diagnosis of acute MI.