[Investigations of the clinical course of acute myocardial infarction. II. Epidemiological facts (author's transl)].

1463 patients with acute myocardial infarction were treated in 26 hospitals in Northern Germany from June 1972 till August 1973. The time elapsed between onset of symptoms and admission to the regional hospital was similar in rural patients and those living in cities. 39% were admitted later than 12 hours after onset of symptoms. Having survived the prehospital phase the age of infarction did not influence the mortality. The treatment in the different hospitals was in no way standardized, except the treatment with streptokinase. Regarding this procedure, the following results can be presented. The overall mortality was 25.8%. Mortality was higher in cases of high age, preexisting myocardial failure, diabetes mellitus and in cases of shock and/or arrhythmia. Anterior wall infarction showed a higher mortality than posterior wall infarction. In this study the average results of treating 1463 patients with acute myocardial infarction treated in Northern Germany were presented.