Myocardial Infarction in Young People: A Retrospective Study of 15 Cases

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to describe the epidemiological, clinical and angiographic characteristics of patients aged under 45 years who were hospitalised for myocardial infarction and to highlight the characteristics of MI in young people compared with older people. Study Design: A descriptive retrospective study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Cardiology, Mohammed VI University Hospital of Marrakech, Morocco, between January 2023 and December 2025. Methodology: Fifteen patients (13 men and 2 women; age range: 26-45 years) hospitalised for myocardial infarction were included. All included patients underwent an assessment focusing on cardiovascular risk factors, disease history and mode of presentation, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic and angiographic findings, and short- and medium-term follow-up. Results: There was a male predominance, with a mean age of 41 years. Smoking was the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factor, being present in 67% of the study population. MI was the inaugural presentation in 86% of cases, chest pain was typical in 93% of patients, and the anterior territory predominated, representing 73% of MI cases. Echocardiography showed moderate left ventricular systolic dysfunction in two-thirds of the patients. Coronary angiography revealed a predominance of single-vessel coronary artery disease. Regarding prognosis, a favourable course was observed in the majority of patients, with one death reported. Conclusion: The main characteristics of myocardial infarction in young people appear to be male predominance, a high prevalence of smoking, an inaugural mode of presentation, typical chest pain, anterior territory predominance, a high frequency of single-vessel coronary artery disease, and a favourable short- and mid-term prognosis.