Acute Myocardial Infarction on the Rise in Young Adults

A recent retrospective study conducted at Mouwasat Hospital Dammam, Saudi Arabia highlights an increasing trend of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among young adults, specifically those aged 40 years and younger. The study, which analyzed 91 patients from June 2020 to May 2023, found that young AMI patients are predominantly obese males with hyperlipidemia and smoking as primary risk factors.

AMI, commonly known as a heart attack, is generally considered a condition affecting older individuals. However, approximately 10% of AMI hospitalizations now involve patients under 45, underscoring the growing need to understand this demographic. Unlike older patients who often present with multiple traditional risk factors, younger AMI patients tend to have fewer, but a higher prevalence of smoking, obesity, and non-atherosclerotic causes.

The study, published in the World Journal of Cardiology, revealed that 96.7% of the young AMI patients were male, with a mean age of 35.9 years. A significant majority (43.9%) were obese, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2, and an additional 35.2% were overweight. Hyperlipidemia was the most prevalent risk factor, affecting 69.2% of patients, followed by smoking at 49.5%, diabetes mellitus at 33.0%, and hypertension at 26.4%. Nearly half of the patients (49.45%) were active smokers.

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was the most common type of heart attack observed, occurring in 57.1% of cases. Anterior STEMI was the most frequent presentation (38.5%), followed by inferior STEMI (17.58%). Angiographic findings indicated that the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was the most frequently affected vessel (78.0%), and single-vessel disease was predominant, found in 72.5% of patients. Obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) was observed in 83.5% of patients, while myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) occurred in 14.3%, and coronary artery dissection was identified in 2.2%¹³. Most patients (74.7%) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a minimally invasive procedure, with 62.6% requiring only one stent.

The researchers emphasized the critical need for early screening and appropriate treatment for traditional risk factors in young populations to prevent AMI. The study highlighted that a notable percentage of patients had undiagnosed hyperlipidemia (39.7%) and diabetes (8.8%) upon admission, reinforcing the importance of routine screening. Furthermore, given that smoking contributed to nearly half of the cases, public health initiatives promoting smoking cessation are crucial to reduce AMI incidence in this age group.

This study provides valuable insights into the characteristics of AMI in young adults, advocating for tailored diagnostic and management approaches, and emphasizing the significant role of modifiable risk factors like obesity and smoking in this patient group.

Reference Source: Hegazi Abdelsamie A, Abdelhadi HO, Abdelwahed AT. Acute myocardial infarction in the young: A 3-year retrospective study. World J Cardiol 2025; 17(6): 106445. DOI: [10.4330/wjc.v17.i6.106445](https://dx.doi.org/10.4330/wjc.v17.i6.106445).