Myocardial infarction in the practices of a group of private physicians-IV: Factors related to the longevity of patients with myocardial infarction during the first five years

The mortality which occurred during the first five years following 156 first myocardial infarctions and 62 later than first infarctions has been described. Using relative survival rates it has been shown that: 1. 1. The excess mortality was very great during the first few weeks after the infarction, and continued as an excess but at a lower level throughout the five years. 2. 2. Survivorship following later than first infarctions was less favorable than following first infarctions during the first six months, but after that no statistically significant difference was found. 3. 3. Men and women had about the same prognosis for the five year period. 4. 4. Congestive heart failure in combination with a new arrhythmia was especially serious. In each period of time after the infarction, the survivors starting the period had a high mortality during the period. 5. 5. This was also true of congestive failure in the absence of arrhythmia, but to a reduced degree. Congestive failure contributed to a continuing poor prognosis whether it existed prior to the onset of the infarction or developed as an early complication of it. 6. 6. The number of patients with diabetes was small, and subdivision into smaller groups was not feasible. However, even those diabetics who had no complications during the first month had a relatively poor five year prognosis.