title: The entry ECG in the early diagnosis and prognostic stratification of patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: 475 patients with suspected uncomplicated myocardial infarction (MI) were divided into 3 groups based on their entry ECG: group 1--significant ST elevation; group 2a--ST depression or T inversion; group 2b--normal ECG. Infarction was confirmed in 99.7% of group 1, 68.5% of group 2a and 39.7% of group 2b patients. Despite similar clinical, haemodynamic and historical variables at presentation, group 1 patients had significantly larger MI, more in-hospital complications and a higher short-term and long-term mortality (P less than 0.005) than group 2 patients. The entry ECG of patients with suspected MI is an excellent and simple predictor of those who are most likely to have an MI confirmed and identifies a group of patients at high risk of death or developing complications.
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis; D001262:Atenolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D001262:Atenolol; D003402:Creatine Kinase