[Acute myocardial infarction in metropolitan France from 1995 to 2010: evolution of patient characteristics, management and outcomes].

Cardiovascular disease is still one of the main causes of death in France, and acute myocardial infarction is one of its most severe complications. Data from four nationwide surveys conducted from 1995 to 2010 show that ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has tended to affect younger subjects in recent years, while age of onset of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) has remained relatively stable. Both the organization and the modalities of patient management have undergone profound modifications, with an increase in the use of invasive strategies and secondary medical prevention. Early mortality has fallen from 13.7% to 4.4% in STEMI patients, and from 10.9% to 3.0% in NSTEMI patients.