SummaryH~potliesis: The study W L L~ undertaken to characterize acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in young patients.Mtvhods: In all, 108 consecutive Mediterranean patients with AM1 ( 102 men and 6 women), aged I 40 years, were prospectively included in this study over aperiod of6.S years. Coronary angiography was canied out within the first month and data from these patients with normal or diseased coronary arteries were compared. Clinical features, risk factors, and inhospital and late morbidity and mortality were evaluated. Kr.sirlts: Young patients with AM1 represent 4. I % of the 2,644 patients admitted because of definite AM1 during this period. The most coninion risk factors were cigarette smoking (94.5%) and hypercholesteroleinia (48%). Location of the AM1 was anterior in 37%. inferior in 57.5%. and non-Q in 5.5%. A history of previous angina was present in 42.5%' of the patients, including all seven patients with previous myocardial infarction (6.5%). However, in 52% of the patients the anginal episodes started i n the week prior to the AMI. Inhospital mortality and motzality during a mean follow-up of 4 1 -c 13 months were 3.7 and 3.870, respectively. The KaplanMeier actuarial curve assessed on 97 of 104 survivors was 100 a d 94% at I and 5 years, respectively. Coronary arteries were angiographically normal in I7 (20%) of 87 survivors. Compared with young patients who had obstructive lesions, this subset had a lower age and fewer risk factors, reinfarction (p

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