Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States.
This prospective observational study was designed to test the hypothesis that among patients diagnosed with AMI, younger women have higher risks of death during hospitalization than men of similar age. Clinical variables and outcomes of 384,878 patients 30-89 years old entered into the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction 2 database were analyzed. These findings were partially, but not completely, explained by coexisting illness, clinical presentation, and early treatment. Younger women with AMI have a higher mortality rate during hospitalization than men of the same age. They seem to represent a high-risk group.