Trends in the Incidence of First Acute Myocardial Infarction in Metropolitan and Regional Areas of the Hunter Region

Introduction There is conflicting information regarding the contemporary incidence of first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Australia. We sought to document the regional variations in first AMI incidence in a large health district. Methods We identified all patients presenting with first AMI in the Hunter region of New South Wales from 2004 to 2013. We calculated age and gender adjusted incidence of AMI and evaluated differences between patients from regional and metropolitan areas. We assessed 30-day and 12-month outcomes, including mortality, through linkage with the NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages. Results The incidence of first AMI in regional areas was persistently higher throughout the study compared to metropolitan areas (IRR 1.244; 95% CI 1.14-1.35; p <= 0.001). There were no significant differences between regional and metropolitan areas in 30-day and 12-month outcomes following presentation with first AMI. Conclusions The study demonstrates persistently higher rates in regional compared to metropolitan areas, supporting the need for implementation of targeted intervention and prevention strategies.