After a myocardial infarction, long term prognosis is much worse for patients
with an abnormal glucose tolerance test at post-hospitalization
follow-up. Kardiol Pol. 2016 Oct 7
Comment: This study found that acute myocardial infarction patients had a much worse prognosis if their glucose metabolism was abnormal at a 7 month follow-up visit. This was regardless of whether or not their glucose metabolism was abnormal at hospital discharge. This study suggests that the glucose tolerance test (and likely the HgbA1c) is a strong prognostic factor. Normalizing glucose metabolism early after a myocardial infarction may have significant mortality benefits. Patients with abnormal glucose metabolism at follow-up had a 2.5 year mortality rate of 2 to 4 times that of patients with normal glucose metabolism (3% versus 6% - 11%). Diet and exercise appear to be critical factors to prolong mortality after acute myocardial infarction.
Comment: This study found that acute myocardial infarction patients had a much worse prognosis if their glucose metabolism was abnormal at a 7 month follow-up visit. This was regardless of whether or not their glucose metabolism was abnormal at hospital discharge. This study suggests that the glucose tolerance test (and likely the HgbA1c) is a strong prognostic factor. Normalizing glucose metabolism early after a myocardial infarction may have significant mortality benefits. Patients with abnormal glucose metabolism at follow-up had a 2.5 year mortality rate of 2 to 4 times that of patients with normal glucose metabolism (3% versus 6% - 11%). Diet and exercise appear to be critical factors to prolong mortality after acute myocardial infarction.