MI myopia: finding the focus on angina
- Department of Health Public Health Career Scientist, UCL Medical School and Westminster PCT, London, UK; h.hemingway@public-health.ucl.ac.uk
MI IS EASY
Why does the gaze of “coronary heart disease” epidemiology focus on fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI)? One reason is that it is easy to study. Cardiologists recognise a number of acute coronary syndromes, of which MI is one, which are often clinically dramatic and precipitate hospital admission. Once in hospital, most patients are investigated with biochemical markers of myocardial necrosis and electrocardiography. Based on the results of these tests and the history, MI can be defined according to internationally agreed case definitions.
ANGINA IS A HARD END POINT!
The same cannot be said of angina. Angina is hard to study. People may experience angina chronically over years and never be …
