[Pericarditis and fresh myocardial infarction (author's transl)]

Among 400 patients with myocardial infarction who had been admitted to the intensive care department, pericarditis was observed in 64 cases (16%). It occurred more frequently with anterior wall infarctions. The influence of the pericarditis on the mortality and complications threatening in the acute period were particularly investigated: There was no significant difference with regard to the mortality (20.6% in the group with pericarditis, 26.2% in the control group) or the occurrence of cardiac insufficiency or arrhythmias as complications. Atrial flutter, however, is more frequent (25% against 15%). Anticoagulant therapy was discontinued when pericarditis appeared, with one exception. In spite of the high frequency of atrial flutter, embolic complications were not more frequent after discontinuing the anticoagulant therapy. A postmyocardial infarction syndrome was observed seven times (1.7%), it was frequently found in a pericarditis with angina pectoris (4/7) and with ventricular aneurysm (3/7). Hemopericardium occurred in one patient in whom anticoagulant therapy had not been discontinued.