Knowledge of heart attack symptoms in older men and women at risk for acute myocardial infarction.

Purpose: Coronary heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women. While adults 65 years of age and older comprise the largest percentage of those who experience an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), investigators to date have failed to examine the knowledge of this population about AMI symptoms. The purpose of this study was to document knowledge about cardiovascular disease and AMI symptoms in older individuals with coronary heart disease to identify the characteristics associated with increased knowledge of cardiovascular disease.