Diabetes Mellitus with Silent Myocardial Ischemia: A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Study of Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Previous studies have established the fact that diabetic patients are predominantly inclined towards silent myocardial infarction (SMI). The objective of the present study is to determine the incidence of SMI in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients.

Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, patient data was gathered on a predesigned proforma regarding the detailed history of dyspnea, DM and its duration, chest pain either present or not. Those patients who had normal ECG labeled negative for SMI, while those who had either ST-segment elevation or ST-segment deviation on resting ECG were positive for SMI. Study was conducted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Karachi- Pakistan.

Results: The mean age of the enrolled patients was 54.21±8.65 (40-70) years. Out of 210, majority were female (51.90%).Overall, 94(44.76%) patients were obese, 122(58.09%) were hypertensive, 90(42.85%) had dyslipidemia and 98(46.66%) diabetic patients were smokers. There were 93 (44.3%) DM patients who had SMI. Moreover, 109(51.90%) patients had a family history of myocardial ischemia.

Conclusion: The SMI incidence among diabetic patients was found higher in local population. It is proposed that diabetic patients with demonstrated cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy must be screened for the manifestation of SMI.