Since the 1970s, there has been an explosion of information on acute myocardial infarction, which has changed our understanding of its pathogenesis and markedly altered our treatment options, leading to vastly improved outcomes. This study demonstrated that there has been a trend towards a reduction in the incidence of ST elevation myocardial infarction over the last several years, which is likely attributable to better preventive strategies including the use of statins and reduced prevalence of cigarette smoking. This Recommendation is of an article referenced in an F1000 Faculty Review also written by Moussa Saleh and John A Ambrose.