Safety and efficacy of digital rectal examination in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
Digital rectal examination (DRE) is often ignored or deferred in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of DRE in patients with AMI.


METHODS
This was a prospective, comparative, stratified study in an inner-city teaching hospital. A total of 480 patients from intensive care and telemetry units were stratified into three groups. Group I included 160 patients with AMI in whom a DRE was performed and electrocardiographic (EKG) recordings were obtained. Group II included 155 patients with AMI in whom DRE was not done, but EKG recordings were made. Group III consisted of 165 patients without AMI in whom DRE was performed and EKG recordings were obtained. Sustained arrhythmias and vital signs were measured.


RESULTS
None of the patients developed sustained arrhythmias and there was no change in vital signs. DRE resulted in the detection of several clinically significant findings.


CONCLUSIONS
DRE was found to be safe in our stable patients with AMI.
Akhtar
A J
AJ
Department of Internal Medicine, King-Drew Medical Center and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, California 90059, USA.
Moran
D
D
Ganesan
K
K
Akanno
J
J
Tran
T
T
Wu
R
R
Alamy
M
M
Kaushik
V S
VS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000009:adverse effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012007:Rectum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012449:Safety