The relationship between angiographic findings and risk factors in young men with myocardial infarction.

Coronary angiography was performed and risk factors were evaluated 2-4 months after myocardial infarction in 50 men aged 40 years or less. There was a high incidence of heavy cigarette smoking, obesity and hyperlipidaemia among these young men. Single-vessel disease (greater than or equal to 70% coronary obstruction) was found in 52%, double-vessel disease in 22% and triple-vessel disease in 20%, the right coronary artery being more frequently involved (greater than or equal to 70% obstructed) or totally occluded than the left anterior descending or left circumflex coronary arteries, in that order. One of the 2 patients with a normal coronary arteriogram had left ventricular angiographic evidence of previous infarction. There was no apparent difference in the distribution of coronary artery disease in this group of young men from the reported distribution found in older subjects. Neither was there any significant correlation of any single major coronary risk factor or combination thereof with the extent or severity of coronary artery obstruction.