Late potentials in the acute phase of myocardial infarction indicate the risk of early ventricular fibrillation.
Late potentials occurring at the end of or after the QRS complex were recorded from the body surface by means of a high-gain ECG and the signal-averaging technique in 75 patients, within 24 h from the onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. Late potentials were found in 20 patients (26.7%). Out of this group, eight (40%) developed ventricular fibrillation. There was only one incident of ventricular fibrillation among 55 patients without late potentials (1.8%, P less than 0.001). The three-month mortality after myocardial infarction was slightly higher in individuals with late potentials: 15% vs. 11.5%, but this difference was not statistically significant. We conclude that the presence of late potentials recorded in the acute phase of myocardial infarction indicates a risk of ventricular fibrillation, but this was not associated with an increased mortality rate during the three-month follow-up.
Dłuzniewski
M
M
II Department of Cardiology, Grochowski Hospital, Warsaw, Poland.
Kułakowski
P
P
Senatorski
M
M
Ceremuzyński
L
L
D000200:Action Potentials; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006342:Heart Rupture, Post-Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012306:Risk; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*