Comparison of Opium Addiction in Silent With Non-Silent Myocardial Infarction

Silent myocardial infarction is a kind of infarction that could not be diagnose at onset except casually.

The aim of this study was comparing the prevalence of opium addiction in silent with non-silent myocardial infarction.

A consecutive series of 676 patients (male 495, female 181) with diagnosis of Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) by resting ECG (with or without previous history of MI) in a cardiovascular private clinic in Rasht were selected.

Silent MI (SMI) was observed in 231 (34.2%) of patients. The prevalence of opium smoking in non-silent MI (NSMI) was higher than SMI (17.5% vs. 6.5%, P<0.001). The prevalence of opium users (smoking and oral) in NSMI was higher than SMI (20.4% vs. 10.8%, P<0.005). The prevalence of oral users in SMI (4.3%) was not significantly (NS) higher than NSMI (2.9%), P=NS. Mean age (P<0.0001), sex (female) (P<0.0001), Hypertension (just in males)(P<0.0001) diabetes mellitus (P<0.05), and stroke (Just in male)(P<0.005) were higher in SMI than NSMI.

The results of this study suggest that: 1-Opium addiction is not an associated factor with SMI. 2-the associated factors of SMI are: Older age, sex (female), Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, and stroke (in male patients).