Background: Cardiovascular disease especially myocardial infarction is one of the major causes of death in todays world. Atherosclerosis is thought to be one of the most important factors behind the increasing incidence of myocardial infarction.
Aims & Objective: This study was undertaken to find out the incidence of atherosclerosis in different coronary arteries, its correlation with increasing age and sex and with that of myocardial infarction of heart.
Material and Methods: Study was performed on 300 hearts received from medicolegal autopsy cases in a tertiary care hospital, that were examined to find out the incidence of myocardial infarction and atherosclerosis in different coronary arteries.
Results: Incidence of atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction was found to be more in men than in women (M:F ratio is 7:1 in atherosclerosis and 11:1 in myocardial infarction). The incidence of both increases with age. The left anterior descending artery (LAD) was the most common coronary artery involved by atherosclerosis (33%), especially type V atherosclerosis and in myocardial infarction (31%). Root of aorta was involved by atherosclerosis in only 16% cases and in 35% cases of myocardial infarction (MI). Triple vessel disease was most commonly (67.5%) associated with myocardial infarction, but a single case of myocardial infarction without involvement of any of the coronaries was reported. Regarding MI and type of atherosclerosis, more number of coronaries in MI was involved by type V atherosclerosis with occlusion, but type VI was more associated with MI.
Conclusion: Atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction are more common in men and with increasing age group. Atherosclerosis of coronary arteries may lead to myocardial infarction, but the confounding effect of other lifestyle factors and age, sex and comorbid diseases cant be excluded, for which further study is required.
Key words: Atherosclerosis; Myocardial Infarction; Coronary artery
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