[Primary ventricular fibrillation. Clinical features and prognostic significance]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinic conditions and the prognosis of patients with primary ventricular fibrillation (PVF) as complication of acute myocardial infarction. We retrospectively analyzed 1,120 patients admitted in Coronary Care Unit within 12 hours of onset of symptoms. PVF (not associated with significative heart failure or shock and occurred within 48 hours of onset of symptoms) occurred in 62 patients (5.53%). The frequency of PVF was highest in patients admitted in the first hours after infarction (p = 0.01) and the inferior localization (p = 0.001). Cigarette smoking was identified as strong independent risk factor for ventricular fibrillation (p = 0.009; relative risk 1.945). A statistically significant excess of pericarditis (p = 0.002), ventricular tachycardia (p = 0.004), atrioventricular block (second-third degree) (p = 0.001) and moderate degree of heart failure (p = 0.003), was found in patients with PVF. The occurrence of PVF was not associated to a significantly higher in hospital mortality rate than that observed in reference group (without ventricular fibrillation) (12.90 vs 14.36%). In the long-term survival at 5 years in patients with PVF, who are discharged alive, was 87.82% vs 80.58% in control group. We conclude: 1. Patients with PVF had more complications rate than among those without it. 2. PVF isn't a marker of increase in hospital death rate. 3. PVF by itself does not indicate an adverse long-term prognosis.