Despite the apparently high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among patients hospitalized for STEMI without known coronary heart disease (CHD), preventive therapy appears to be low, according findings from to a cohort analysis. Only 24.1% of patients in the analysis were on aspirin, 16.1% were on a statin, and 7.8% were on both. The authors noted that 70% of their STEMI population did not have known CHD before their event, and slightly more than 40% of those events would be considered premature.

Abstract: American Heart Journal, July 18, 2012 (online).

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