The Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: C ardiovascular disease trends have evolved heterogeneously across regions.Although several Western countries have reported declining mortality from coronary artery disease over recent decades, East Asian countries continue to experience a substantial and, in some settings, increasing burden of ischemic heart disease. 1 These regional differences underscore the importance of locally derived data to inform clinical decisionmaking and health policy.The Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR), established in 2005, represents the first nationwide, prospective, multicenter registry of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Korea. 2 Over the past 20 years, KAMIR has generated large-scale, real-world evidence encompassing epidemiology, treatment strategies, and longitudinal outcomes in Korean patients with AMI.The registry has provided critical insights into clinical characteristics of Korean patients, including differences in metabolic risk profiles and antithrombotic response patterns, while documenting substantial improvements in system-level care and clinical outcomes.This article summarizes the 20-year experience of KAMIR, emphasizing: 1) epidemiologic transitions; 2) system-level outcome improvements associated with implementation of evidence-based therapies; 3) distinctive Korean and East Asian risk profiles and therapeutic response patterns; 4) the position of KAMIR among other Asian registries; and 5) the influence of registry-derived evidence on guideline development, together with a candid appraisal of the limitations of registry-based evidence.Rather than cataloging the many individual analyses KAMIR has produced, this Landscape article offers a system-level, comparative, and limitationaware synthesis that complements the comprehensive 20-year clinical review 2 with an international perspective.THE KOREA ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION REGISTRY KAMIR was initiated in November 2005 to systematically collect data on patients with AMI across Korea. 2 It became the first prospective, multicenter AMI registry in the country, enrolling patients from over 50 hospitals (both community and academic centers) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) capability.Through 6 sequential phases, cumulative enrollment exceeded 70,000 patients by 2018 and approximately 87,000 by mid-2025.2 With the ongoing seventh phase (KAMIR-VII), cumulative enrollment reached 88,873 patients with more than 495 publications (454 indexed in Science Citation Index) as of 22 June 2026.Its comprehensive case report forms capture patient demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, management strategies, and outcomes, with standardized definitions to ensure data quality.The phased evolution and cumulative enrollment of the registry are illustrated in the Figure 1.
Source: JACC Asia
Authors: Doo Sun Sim, Myung Ho Jeong
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,084
Funder: Chonnam National University
OpenAlex ID: W7220733441