ABSTRACT

This study was done to assess the age-specific incidence of admission for acute myocardial infarction in Antigua and Barbuda from 1990 to 2001. A retrospective review of Intensive Care Unit admissions for possible acute myocardial infarction was performed. Data obtained included age, gender, country of residence, electrocardiogram, creatine kinase results and intensive care unit outcome. There were 250 admissions, 194 (78%) having data available for review. Acute myocardial infarction was found in 107/194 (55.2%) patients, age 59.9 ± 13.7 years, 28% female, 70% from Antigua and Barbuda, 90/107 (85%) were between 35 and 75 years old. The incidence would be 7.5 per year or 9.7 per year if the confirmation rate documented was similar for all admissions. With a yearly population of 9555 men age 35 to 75 years in Antigua and Barbuda, with men accounting for 72% of acute myocardial infarctions, the incidence rate was 0.57 (confirmed) to 0.73 (all admissions) per year per 1000 men. For women, the yearly population was 10 822 age 35 to 75 years, and the incidence rate was 0.19 to 0.24 per year per 1 000 women. The mortality rate was 12/107 (11.2%), with women being older (67 vs 57 years, p = 0.001) and dying more often (17% vs 9%) compared with men. The mortality rate in the Intensive Care Unit was 0.07 per year for men, 0.04 per year for women per 1000 aged 35 to 75 years. In the United States of America (USA), the admission rate is 4.1 for men and 1.8 for women per year per 1000 aged 35 to 75 years; the mortality rate is 1.0 for men and 0.5 for women per year per 1000 aged 35 to 75 years. Rates of admission to the Intensive Care Unit for acute myocardial infarction in Antigua and Barbuda are 20%, and mortality rates are 10% of those reported in the USA.