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Myocardial infarction

Prevalence
Clinical features
Differential diagnosis
Investigations
Therapy
Prevention
Prognosis
Therapy

Continue ACE inhibitors in all patients with one other cardiovascular risk factor (hypertension, elevated total cholesterol levels, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, cigarette smoking or documented microalbuminuria) a

Why?

  • Patients at high-risk for cardiovascular disease who take ramipril are less likely to die, have a stroke, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest or develop heart failure.
  • Many patients stop therapy, particularly due to cough. a

Ramipril reduces death and cardiovascular complications in patients at high-risk for cardiovascular disease

Patient a Treatment Comparison Outcome CER RRR
(95% CI)
NNT
(95% CI)
previous stroke, MI or peripheral vascular disease and at least one other cardiovascular risk factor ramipril placebo death from any cause
at 5 years
12% 15%
(5% to 24%)
55
(32 to 180)
      myocardial infarction
at 5 years
12% 19%
(9% to 28%)
44
(28 to 99)
      stroke
at 5 years
4.9% 30%
(15% to 43%)
68
(44 to 150)
      heart failure
at 5 years
12% 22%
(12% to 31%)
39
(26 to 77)
      cardiac arrest
at 5 years
1.3% 36%
(4% to 58%)
220
(120 to 2400)
      discontinued therapy permanently
at 5 years
31% -6%
(-13% to -0.086%)
-52
(-3500 to -26)
      treatment discontinued due to cough
at 5 years
1.9% -300%
(-410% to -220%)
-18
(-22 to -16)

Expiry date: November 2003
Levels of Evidence used in grading these guides

Author   CM   Ball , N   Shenker
Reviewer   S   Straus
CAT Writers   CJ   Wotton , N   Shenker , B   Phillips , CM   Ball