Incidence of complex ventricular arrhythmias in asymptomatic patients with recent myocardial infarction.
The incidence of ventricular extrasystoles (VES) was documented in 50 patients with recent uncomplicated myocardial infarction, with a 72-h two-channel ambulatory electrocardiogram. All patients were free of symptoms of arrhythmias; unstable angina pectoris and heart failure were absent. A total of 82% of the patients had VES: 23/50 patients had multiform or complex VES, 8/50 patients had ventricular tachycardia. VES were independent of heart rate and stable angina pectoris. Thus, frequent and complex VES are common in asymptomatic patients with uncomplicated recent myocardial infarction. Even in the absence of symptoms, ambulatory electrocardiography is useful. The prognostic significance of asymptomatic complex VES in these patients remains unsettled.
D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors