[Risk profile and prognosis after myocardial infarct complicated by ventricular fibrillation]

In a prospective series of 190 patients under the age of 70 with a first myocardial infarction, the risk profile for ischemia, heart function and arrhythmias was investigated at the time of hospital discharge. Fifteen of these 190 patients had had ventricular fibrillation within 24 hours after admission which could be converted into sinus rhythm. In comparison, patients with ventricular fibrillation had a significantly larger infarct as estimated with the thallium-defect score (11.0 +/- 5.8 vs. 7.3 +/- 5.4; p less than 0.02)). In addition, left ventricular ejection fraction at rest was lower, at 42.7 +/- 17.4% compared to 50.0 +/- 14.0, but the p-value reached only 0.07. Persistent arrhythmias and ischemia were not significantly different in the two groups. In the first year after infarction none of these 15 patients died, compared to 8/175 patients.