A postmyocardial infarction clinic in Göteborg, Sweden. A follow-up of MI patients in a specialized out-patient clinic.

The registration of all myocardial infarctions (MI) in the city of Göteborg started on Jan. 1st 1968, when a special clinic was set up for ambulatory posthospital care of infarction patients. In 1970 this clinic was expanded to cover all patients below 67 years of age with MI in the city of Göteborg, the aim being to standardize and unify patient care and therapeutic regimens to provide opportunities for the study of patient characteristics, natural history, risk factors and effects of preventive measures. Results from such studies have been published, but so far no unified description of this special out-patient unit, nor of any similar unit elsewhere. Patient recruitment, considerations concerning personnel, patient education procedures and return visit routines are covered, together with investigative methods and criteria for the treatment of complications, symptoms and risk factors. The cumulative drop-out rate up to and including 2 years follow-up was only 3%. A brief bibliography of studies originating at the Postmyocardial Infarction Clinic is included.