Major Cardiac Arrhythmias in Acute Myocardial Infarction: Implications for Longterm Survival

The effect on longterm prognosis of cardiac arrhythmias occurring during an acute episode of myocardial infarction has been examined in 257 patients admitted to a coronary care unit and discharged from hospital. Patients with ventricular fibrillation were found to have a significantly poorer 12-month prognosis than patients without this arrhythmia. No significant difference in the mode of death was found between the two groups. Additionally, the occurrence of congestive cardiac failure occurring in the acute episode of myocardial infarction, despite hospital survival, resulted in a very poor 12-month survival rate.