How STEMI’s Risk Profile Has Changed Over 20 Years (Infographic)

Since the Framingham Heart Study reports of the 1970s, it’s been abundantly clear that primary prevention of cardiovascular disease is central to reducing morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infarction (MI).

So how have cardiovascular risk profiles changed since then among patients with ST-elevation MI (STEMI)? They’ve gotten worse.

So indicates a new retrospective observational cohort study of all 3,912 patients presenting to Cleveland Clinic from 2015 through 2014 with a first STEMI.

“Despite better understanding of risk factors and increased focus on preventive cardiology, patients presenting with STEMI have gotten significantly younger and more obese over the past 20 years and have significantly rising prevalences of smoking, hypertension and diabetes mellitus,” says Samir Kapadia, MD, who will present the study at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.16) in early April.

“These findings show that it’s more critical than ever to hook up patients who have risk factors for MI, such as diabetes and obesity, with resources like nutritional support and preventive cardiology assistance,” adds Dr. Kapadia, Section Head of Invasive and Interventional Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic. “Access to such resources, together with educating patients and motivating them about their modifiable risk factors, is critical.”

The below infographic presents a few of the study’s key findings.