Heart Failure Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction; Burden and Timing of Occurrence: A Nation-wide Analysis Including 86 771 Patients From the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway (CVDNOR) Project.

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) represents often the underlying conditions for the development of heart failure (HF). We aimed at exploring the burden and timing of HF complicating an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), using the total population of AMI patients hospitalized during 2001-2009 in Norway.

Methods And Results: A total of 86 771 patients with a first AMI during 2001-2009 and without previous HF were identified in the "Cardiovascular Disease in Norway" project and followed until HF development, death, or December 31, 2009.

Effect of the Lookback Period's Length Used to Identify Incident Acute Myocardial Infarction on the Observed Trends on Incidence Rates and Survival: Cardiovascular Disease in Norway Project.

Background: In studies using patient administrative data, the identification of the first (incident) acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in an individual is based on retrospectively excluding previous hospitalizations for the same condition during a fixed time period (lookback period [LP]). Our aim was to investigate whether the length of the LP used to identify the first AMI had an effect on trends in AMI incidence and subsequent survival in a nationwide study.

Methods And Results: All AMI events during 1994 to 2009 were retrieved from the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway project.