Publication:

Correlation between ischemic heart disease and coronary atherosclerosis: an autopsy based cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital

Background The most common cause of ischemic heart disease (IHD) is reduced blood flow due to obstructive lesions in the coronary arteries. In adults, IHD associated with coronary atherosclerosis and acquired forms of cardiomyopathy are the most common findings of autopsies. Aim and objectives were to study age and gender related prevalence of IHD in population of Sonepat district of Haryana and its association with coronary atherosclerosis in autopsy cases.

Methods A cross sectional study was conducted from April 2019-March 2020 for a duration of one year on 140 post-mortem heart specimens received in the department of pathology at Bhagat Phool Singh government medical college for Women, Khanpur Kalan, Sonepat, Haryana. Sections from various parts of heart and from three main coronary arteries were processed and examined.

Results In our study, 22 cases (15.71%) of chronic IHD (CIHD) and 7 cases (5%) of myocardial infarction (MI) was observed. The overall prevalence of IHD was 20.7%. All 7 cases (100%) of MI and 95.46% of CIHD revealed atherosclerosis in their coronary arteries. A highly significant statistical correlation was observed between IHD and atherosclerosis p<0.05 (p=0.001). All the cases of MI and 81.82% of CIHD were observed in more than or equal to 40 years age group.

Conclusions The awareness regarding atherosclerosis and various preventive and screening of cardiovascular risk factors should be initiated in young population as early as second decade.