[Late ventricular potentials and myocardial infarction. A critical analysis].
The identification of patients at high risk of developing severe ventricular arrhythmias or sudden death after acute myocardial infarction is one of the major preoccupations of cardiologists. In this field, electrocardiographic signal averaging represents a promising technique and the prognostic value of late potentials in the post-infarction period has been well demonstrated during the last 10 years. However, in order to use optimally the information obtained by this technique the limitations should be understood: what do late ventricular potentials represent from the electrophysiological point of view? Do they play an active role in the genesis of ventricular arrhythmias or are they only a marker? What is the best method of recording late potentials? What are the criteria of normality of signal averaged recordings? What is the predictive value of late potentials in the post-infarction period? At what moment should they be searched for? Are they affected by medical therapy? These are some of the questions which have not yet been answered and which are addressed in this article.
Zimmermann
M
M
Centre de cardiologie, hôpital Cantonal universitaire, Genève, Suisse.
Adamec
R
R
D000200:Action Potentials; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors
Potentiels tardifs ventriculaires et infarctus du myocarde. Analyse critique.