Dyslipidemia is associated with ventricular tachyarrhythmia in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.
BACKGROUND
Ventricular tachyarrhythmia developing in the acute stage of myocardial infarction (MI) is an important cause of sudden cardiac death. The aim of this study was to determine whether dyslipidemia is associated with the occurrence of ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) during the acute stage of ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI).


METHODS
A total of 58 patients experiencing VT/VF within 24 hours after the onset of MI were selected as the study group. A group of 58 patients with MI but without VT/VF was selected as the control group matched for sex (overall, 104 males), age (overall, 58 +/- 10 years), and the use of thrombolytic therapy (n = 82). The lipid profiles including total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride were measured during the first week and at the third month after the index MI. Other coronary risk factors, and clinical, hemodynamic and angiographic characteristics were also included in the assessment.


RESULTS
During the acute stage, patients with VT/VF had higher levels of LDL-C and lower blood pressure on initial arrival at our hospital. At the 3-month follow-up, those patients with VT/VF showed higher levels of TC, LDL-C and triglyceride. Multivariate analysis revealed that LDL-C (p < 0.001) at the 3-month follow-up, mean blood pressure on arrival (p < 0.01), and the difference in triglyceride levels between the first week and the third month (p < 0.05) were independent predictors for the occurrence of VT/VF in the acute stage of MI.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that dyslipidemia imposes a higher risk of developing tachyarrhythmia in the acute phase of STEMI.
Liu
Yen-Bin
YB
Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Wu
Chau-Chung
CC
Lee
Chii-Ming
CM
Chen
Wen-Jone
WJ
Wang
Tzung-Dau
TD
Chen
Peng-Sheng
PS
Lee
Yuan-Teh
YT
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000209:etiology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology*