Acute myocardial infarction in Suva, Fiji.

A review of 100 cases of acute myocardial infarction admitted to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in 1964-65 is presented. The incidence of acute myocardial infarction in this series was 97 percent in Indians and 3 percent in Fijians. The predisposing factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia are commoner in Indians than Fijians and their role in these patients are described. The mortality rate in the first week was 23.7 percent. A two bed coronary care unit was opened in this hospital last year as part of the overall care for these patients.