The number of patients hospitalized due to myocardial infarction has increased by nearly 50% over the past 10 years. Among them, 15.8% died within one year. Myocardial infarction is a condition where the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart have issues, causing heart muscle cells to malfunction. In the case of acute myocardial infarction, it can lead to a heart attack.
According to the cardiovascular disease occurrence statistics from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 28th, the number of myocardial infarction cases in 2022 was 34,969, an increase of 48.7% compared to 23,509 cases 10 years ago in 2012. By gender, the number of male patients was about 2.8 times more than that of female patients. The incidence rate per 100,000 population was 101.6 for males and 35.1 for females.
By age group, the incidence rate was highest among those aged 80 and older. The one-year mortality rate after myocardial infarction, as of 2022, was 15.8%. By gender, the mortality rate for females was 23.1%, higher than the 13.3% for males. For those aged 80 and older, the mortality rate was 36.8%. The rates were 18.5% for those in their 70s, 9.3% for those in their 60s, 5.8% for those in their 50s, 4.4% for those in their 40s, and 2.9% for those in their 30s.
The incidence and mortality rates of myocardial infarction vary by gender. Males have a higher proportion of patients in their 50s and 60s, while females have a higher proportion in their 70s and 80s.
The number of stroke cases also increased. In 2022, there were 110,574 cases, a 9.8% increase compared to 2012. The incidence rate was 242.7 for males and 188.9 for females. The incidence rate for those aged 80 and older was the highest at 1,515.7 cases per 100,000 population. The one-year mortality rate for strokes was 20.1% in 2022, with females at 22.1%, higher than 18.5% for males.
A representative from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said, “Myocardial infarction and stroke are serious conditions that can lead to death if not diagnosed quickly and treated appropriately,” adding that “medical expenses are high, and even when survived, serious disabilities often accompany sequelae, making the disease burden significant. Hence, a rapid emergency medical system and regional management system for severe cardiovascular diseases are necessary.”
This statistic can be found on the website of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Starting from January next year, information will also be available on the National Statistical Portal (KOSIS).