Inducible ventricular arrhythmias and patency of infarct-related artery in survivors of acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Patency of infarct-related artery in patients who suffered an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been shown to be associated with improved survival. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias induced by programmed electrical stimulation may be predictive of arrhythmic events and sudden death. HYPOTHESIS: The study was undertaken to assess the possible effect of a patent infarct-related coronary artery on induced ventricular tachyarrhythmias during programmed ventricular stimulation in survivors of AMI. METHODS: In this prospective study, programmed electrical stimulation was performed before hospital discharge (14 +/- 2 days) in 79 patients who survived an AMI. Patients were subdivided into two groups: Group I with patent infarct-related coronary artery (n = 64) and Group 2 with occluded infarct-related artery (n = 15) at coronary angiography performed at 14 +/- 2 days. These two groups were comparable in terms of mean left ventricular ejection fraction, location of infarct-related artery, number of diseased vessels, peak creatine kinase value, and infarct location. RESULTS: Ventricular arrhythmias were induced in 21 patients ( 32.6%) of Group I and 4 patients (26.6%) of Group 2. This difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that ventricular arrhythmias induced by programmed ventricular stimulation in survivors of AMI did not differ whether the infarct-related artery was patent or occluded. Other factors may play a role in electrical instability as assessed by programmed ventricular stimulation.