Atrial flutter associated with acute myocardial infarction

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Clinical Medicine
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Atrial flutter is a known complication of myocardial infarction.
• Previous studies have reported varying incidences of atrial flutter in myocardial infarction patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of atrial flutter in myocardial infarction patients.
• To investigate the association between atrial flutter and mortality in myocardial infarction patients.
• To explore factors influencing mortality in myocardial infarction patients with atrial flutter.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 340 myocardial infarction patients admitted between 1966 and 1968.
• Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring in the coronary care unit.
• Statistical comparison of mortality rates between patients with and without atrial flutter.

Main Results:

• The incidence of atrial flutter was 10.3% (35 out of 340 patients).
• Patients with atrial flutter had significantly higher mortality (P <0.05).
• Persistent atrial flutter (>1 day) was associated with a further increase in mortality (P <0.02).
• Higher mortality was observed in patients with anterior infarctions compared to inferior infarctions, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Atrial flutter is a significant complication of myocardial infarction with a higher associated mortality.
• The increased mortality is likely due to concurrent complications rather than the arrhythmia alone.
• Persistent atrial flutter warrants close monitoring due to its association with increased mortality.