Cardiovascular drugs and the risk of death in acute myocardial infarction in northern Sweden MONICA patients.

Abstract

PURPOSE: To quantify the impact of cardiovascular drugs used before the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and given during the acute phase on reduction in the risk of death during the first 28 days after an AMI. METHODS: The Northern Sweden MONICA database on incident AMI was analysed with regard to drug use before and during the acute phase of the myocardial infarction and the risk of death within the first 28 days. All patients admitted to a hospital in this area with a suspected diagnosis of AMI were included in this database. RESULTS: No drugs used before and up to the acute myocardial infarction provided protection against death in the AMI in this analysis. Among drugs given during the acute phase, antiplatelet drugs and betablocking drugs reduced the risk of death in the AMI and to a lesser degree, anticoagulants and nitrates provided protection. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of antiplatelet drugs and betablockers in the acute phase of an AMI substantially reduces the risk of death during the first 28 days after an AMI for the individual.