Myocardial infarction: rising in-hospital mortality, particularly among women

By Elodie Vaz | Published on March 6, 2026 | 3 min read


Myocardial infarction remains a major cause of cardiovascular mortality. It occurs when a coronary artery becomes obstructed, leading to ischemia and then myocardial necrosis. Two main clinical subtypes dominate acute management: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), generally related to complete occlusion, and non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), associated with partial obstruction.  

Long considered a condition predominantly affecting older adults, myocardial infarction also affects younger adults. This reality is at the center of a study published on February 26 in a special “Go Red for Women” issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association, the American Heart Association’s open-access scientific journal. This issue is part of the Go Red for Women initiative, launched in 2004 to improve the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease in women.