Biomedica Vol. 30, Issue 3, Jul. – Sep., 2014 1 D:\ Biomedica Vol. 30, I ssue 3, Jul. – Sep., 2014\ Bio-5.Doc P. 1 – 4 (KC) IV ORIGINAL ARTICLE FREQUENCY OF CONVENTIONAL RISK FACTORS OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN GULAB DEVI CHEST HOSTPITAL IQBAL U.J., KALEEM M., IQBAL N., HANIF M.I. AND HANIF A. Depar tments of Car diology and Resear ch Center Gulab Devi Chest Hospital / Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore – Pakistan ABSTRACT Background: Acute myocardial infarction (M.I) is potentially critical and the most common cardiac emergency presenting to a hospital. Having significant mortality and morbidity cardiovascular risk factors are on the rise in Pakistan. In view of the associated lower survival ischemic heart diseases thus represent an important public health problem. Aim and Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of various conventional risk factors in the patients presenting with myocardial infarction, so as to guide our planning for pri- mary and secondary prevention of this disease in our community. Methodology: A total of 100 consecutive patients from 20 – 80 years of age presenting with MI were included in the study. Their detailed history was taken including symptoms at presentation and their risk factors were assessed with the help of history and laboratory investigations. Following common risk factors were studied namely, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, family his- tory and obesity. Results: Frequency wise risk factors were lined up as male sex (74%), smoking (70%), hypertension (62%), diabetes mellitus (60%), hyperlipidemia (44%), family history (40%) and obesity (14%). Out of these risk factors, 48% patients were presented with at least one major risk factor, 23% with two major risk factors and 29% were presented with three or more major risk factors. Conclusion: Smoking, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia were the major modifiable risk fac- tors in our patients, which require a better control. The awareness of risk factors amongst the general public is low . Thus ther e is an ur gent need to cr eate mor e and mor e aw ar eness about the pr eventive as- pects and healthier life style in our community. Key Words: I schemic hear t diseases, Risk factor s, Mor bidity, Cor onar y arter y disease. INTRODUCTION Risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are on the rise in Pakistan. There is a definite change in life style and sedentary habits are increasing day by day with increasing facilities. Exercise and outdoor activi- ties seems to have decreased. As a result, cardiovas- cular diseases like myocardial infarction and stroke are increasing. 1 India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, not only represent a quarter of the world’s population but also contribute to the highest proport- ion of CVD burden when compared with any other re- gions globally. 2 Among CVD ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world and is likely to become the most common cause of death worldwide including Pakistan by the year 2020. 3,4 The most life threatening manifestation of IHD is Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and the incidence of AMI is increasing in our population. 5 Myocardial infarction (MI) preeminently results from atherosclerotic disease of coronary artery and/ or ves- sel obstruction due to thrombus formation. 6 In pati- ents of MI there are multiple risk factors for IHD asso- ciated with development of coronary artery disease (CAD). 7 Of these some factors like age, gender, race and family history cannot be changed and are called ‘fixed factors’ while other major risk factors, such as serum cholesterol, smoking habit, diabetes and hyper- tension, can be modified. 8 Hypertension, diabetes mel- litus, smoking, and hypercholesterolemia are called the conventional or major risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). They are called conventional bec- ause majority of patients with CHD have one or more of these risk factors. 9 A recent cohort study found that development of more than 80% of myocardial infarct- ion in general population is attributable to these con- ventional factors and physical inactivity. 10 In this study we examined the frequency of con- Corresponding Author: Usman Javed Iqbal, B.Sc (Hons) Cardiac Perfusion, MPH Gulab Devi Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore E-mail: sh.usmanjavediqbal@gmail.com