A retrospective clinical study was done on 81 cases of acute myocardial infarctionadmitted to a University Hospital in Seoul from Jaiivary, 1964 through March, 1972. Since the incidence in relation to age and, sex, the symptoms and laboratory data of myocardial infarction have already been reviewed in ´Korea,, we have concentrated upon the following points which have not been elucidated before in this country.
Cases of myocardial infarction are seen in increasing numbers each year at a University Hospital in Seoul. Whether: this represents a true increase of coronary_antery disease over the _years remains to "be´ clarified by a larger-scale cooperative study.,
Twenty- three of 81 patients died in the hospital, giving a mortality of . 30,0. The time´ -lapsed between the onset of symptoms and admission to-the hospital seems to be an important determinant.
-of the outcome in these patients.
Seventeen patients were admitted with in 4 hours
after onset of symptoms, and ten of them died,
with a mortality of 65%. The mortality rate
declines rapidly with longer delays of admission
from the time of onset, which is obviously due
to the fact that the late arrivals largely represent
the lucky survivors
Among the twenty-one deaths as direct copse-
quence´ of cutxently_ sustained myocardial nfarc-
tion, eleven occurred within 48 hours of
and five occurred on 3rd through 5th hos~rita
days. The rest of the deaths occurred´ thereafter.
Incidence of arrhythmias and exact rri(, des of
death could" not be defined for lack of c~)titinuous
EKG monitoring on any of the patients, and ir,
view of the proven usefulness of c irnnary care
units for early detection, prevention aii(I treatl-
of arrhythmias in the developed eoirin"cs> it
would be desirable to set up at least one coronary
care fnrt in Seoul, a city with a population of five
million.
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