Predictors and mode of death over 5 years amongst patients admitted to the emergency department with acute chest pain or other symptoms raising suspicion of acute myocardial infarction

Herlitz J, Karlson BW, Lindqvist J, Sjölin M (Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden). Predictors and mode of death over 5 years amongst patients admitted to the emergency department with acute chest pain or other symptoms raising suspicion of acute myocardial infarction. J Intern Med 1998; 243 : 41–48.  

Aim

To describe the mortality and mode of death over 5 years, and factors associated with death amongst patients with acute chest pain.  

Patients

All patients who came to the emergency department at Sahlgrenska Hospital in Göteborg with acute chest pain or other symptoms raising suspicion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during a 21-month period.  

Results

In all, 5241 patients were evaluated, of whom 1345 (26%) died during the 5 years of follow-up. The following factors were independent predictors of an increased risk of death: age ( P < 0.001); male sex ( P < 0.001); symptoms of acute congestive heart failure ( P < 0.001) or unspecific symptoms on admission ( P < 0.05); smoking ( P < 0.001); a history of either congestive heart failure ( P < 0.001), diabetes mellitus ( P < 0.001), previous myocardial infarction ( P < 0.001) or hypertension ( P < 0.05); initial degree of suspicion of AMI ( P < 0.001) and presence of pathological electrocardiogram ( P < 0.001) on admission to hospital. Amongst patients who died, 66% died a cardiac death and 35% died in association with a myocardial infarction.  

Conclusion

Amongst patients admitted to the emergency department due to chest pain or other symptoms raising suspicion of AMI, several predictors based on clinical history and clinical presentation can be defined, which are strongly related to the long-term prognosis.     

Prognosis and risk indicators of death during a period of 10 years for women admitted to the emergency department with a suspected acute coronary syndrome

AIM: To describe the 10-year prognosis and risk indicators of death in women admitted to the emergency department with acute chest pain or other symptoms raising a suspicion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Particular interest was paid to women of 相似文献   

Mortality, mode of death and risk indicators for death during 5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting among patients with and without a history of diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE: To describe mortality, mode of death, risk indicators for death and symptoms of angina pectoris among survivors during 5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) among patients with and without a history of diabetes mellitus. METHODS: All patients in western Sweden who underwent CABG without concomitant valve surgery and who had no previous CABG between June 1988 and June 1991 were entered prospectively in this study. After 5 years, information on deaths that had occurred was obtained for the analysis. RESULTS: In all, 1998 patients were included in the analysis; 242 (12%) had a history of diabetes. Among the non-diabetic patients, 5-year mortality was 12.5%; the corresponding relative risk for diabetic patients was 2.1 (95% confidence interval 1.6 to 2.9). A history of diabetes was an independent risk indicator of death; there was no significant interaction between any other risk indicator and diabetes. Independent risk indicators for death among diabetic patients were: current smoking, renal dysfunction and left ventricular ejection fraction < 0.40. Compared with non-diabetic patients, those with diabetes more frequently died in hospital, died a cardiac death, or had death associated with the development of acute myocardial infarction and with symptoms of congestive heart failure. Among survivors, diabetic patients tended to have more angina pectoris 5 years after CABG than did those without diabetes. CONCLUSION: During a period of 5 years after CABG, diabetic patients had a mortality twice that of non-diabetic patients. The increased risk included death in hospital, cardiac death and death associated with development of acute myocardial infarction and with symptoms of congestive heart failure.     

Prediction of the severity of acute myocardial infarction

In 698 patients with suspected and definite acute myocardial infarction we tried to predict the severity of the infarction from clinical history and simple bedside evaluation soon after arrival in hospital. The severity of the infarction was judged from serum enzyme activity, 2-year survival, incidence and severity of congestive heart failure and incidence of severe ventricular arrhythmias during initial hospitalization. Entry characteristics which were positively associated with the severity of the infarction were intensity of pain, sign of congestive heart failure, high heart rate, ECG signs of acute myocardial infarction and presence of Q waves. Elderly patients and those with a history of hypertension also had a more severe clinical course.     

Expression and distribution of atrial natriuretic polypeptide in the ventricles of children with myocarditis and/or myocardial infarction secondary to Kawasaki disease: immunohistochemical study

We studied the expression and distribution of atrial natriuretic polypeptide in the ventricles of 27 autopsied children with Kawasaki disease. Fourteen of the children had died in the acute stage of the disease. Three without any coronary artery aneurysms died due to myocarditis, while 11 with coronary artery aneurysms also had myocarditis but died of coronary heart disease. Histologic evidence of acute myocardial infarction was noted in three children who died of coronary heart disease. In the 14 children with acute-stage deaths, no abnormal expression of atrial natriuretic polypeptide was noted in the ventricles, despite the presence of heart failure in seven of them for 2 to 22 days before death. The other 13 patients had coronary artery aneurysms and died in the healed stage. In three patients with granulation tissue and congestive heart failure, myocytes in foci around the granulations were moderate to markedly positive for atrial natriuretic polypeptide. These three patients died over 8 days after the onset of their first myocardial infarct. Of 10 patients with old myocardial infarction, four had a history of congestive heart failure. They demonstrated moderate or marked atrial natriuretic polypeptide expression in extensive regions around sites of massive fibrosis, and foci of slight expression in the inner third of the noninfarcted region of the ventricle. In the other six patients without congestive heart failure, there was slight or moderate expression in foci around sites of massive fibrosis. We concluded that the expression of atrial natriuretic polypeptide appeared more than 1 week after the onset of acute myocardial infarction in the ventricles of children with Kawasaki disease who died in the healed stage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Characteristics and long-term outcome of patients with acute chest pain or other symptoms raising suspicion of acute myocardial infarction in relation to whether they were hospitalized or directly discharged from the emergency department

AIM: To describe the characteristics and outcome of patients who came to the emergency department due to chest pain or other symptoms raising suspicion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in relation to whether they were hospitalized or directly discharged from the emergency department. METHODS: All patients arriving to the emergency department in one single hospital due to chest pain or other symptoms raising suspicion of AMI during a period of 21 months were followed for 10 years. RESULTS: In all, 5362 patients fulfilled the given criteria on 7157 occasions; 3381 (63%) were hospitalized and 1981 (37%) were directly discharged. Patients who were hospitalized were older and had a higher prevalence of previous cardiovascular diseases. The mortality during the subsequent 10 years was 52.1% among those hospitalized and 22.3% among those discharged (P < 0.0001). Risk indicators for death were similar in the two cohorts. However, many of these risk indicators including age, a history of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, congestive heart failure, hypertension, initial degree of suspicion of AMI, a pathologic electrocardiogram on admission and a confirmed AMI as underlying etiology were more strongly associated with the prognosis among patients directly discharged than among those hospitalized. Ten (0.5%) of the patients who were directly discharged from the emergency department were found to have a diagnosis of confirmed or possible AMI, making up 1% of all patients given such a diagnosis. These patients had a 10-year mortality of 80.0% compared with 65.7% among patients with a confirmed or possible AMI who were hospitalized. CONCLUSION: Of patients who came to the emergency department with acute chest pain or other symptoms suggestive of AMI about a third were directly discharged. Their mortality during the subsequent 10 years was half that of patients hospitalized. Various risk indicators for death were more strongly associated with prognosis in the patients who were directly discharged from the emergency department compared to those hospitalized. Of all patients given a diagnosis of confirmed or possible AMI, 1% were discharged from the emergency department. Their long-term mortality was high, maybe even higher than among AMI patients hospitalized.     

Postinfarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication of heart rupture as a result of acute myocardial infarction, tumour infiltration or infective pericarditis. This pathology is often diagnosed accidentally because of non-specific clinical manifestations such as congestive heart failure or no symptoms at all. Diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm should result in an urgent surgical treatment as the risk of sudden death due to aneurysm rupture is high. In this report we present a patient who underwent successful surgical treatment of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm as a complication of myocardial infarction.     

One-year prognosis in patients hospitalized with a history of unstable angina pectoris

The prognosis during 1 year of follow-up in 715 patients admitted to one single hospital due to suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with a history of unstable angina pectoris immediately preceding hospitalization is described. AMI developed in 192 patients (27%) during the first three days and in 255 patients (38%) during the first year. The mortality during hospitalization was 7% (50 patients) and during 1 year 19% (130 patients). Of the nonsurvivors, 54% died of AMI, 28% of congestive heart failure, and 20% of cardiogenic shock. Based on simple clinical parameters on admission to the emergency room, risk indicators for death during the following year could be identified as follows, in the order of significance: high age (p < 0.001), ST-segment depression on admission (p < 0.001), and a history of diabetes mellitus (p < 0.05). At admission to the emergency room, risk indicators for development of AMI during the following year were as follows: initial degree of suspicion of AMI (p < 0.001), electrocardiographic signs of acute ischemia on admission (p < 0.001), ST-segment elevation on admission (p < 0.01), age (p < 0.05), and lack of a previous history of chronic stable angina pectoris (p < 0.05). We conclude that, among patients admitted to hospital due to suspected AMI with a history of unstable angina pectoris immediately preceding hospitalization, 38% developed a confirmed infarction and 19% died during the following year.     

Five-year mortality in patients with acute chest pain in relation to smoking habits

BACKGROUND: Smoking is one of the major risk indicators for development of coronary artery disease, and smokers develop acute myocardial infarction (AMI) approximately a decade earlier than nonsmokers. In smokers with established coronary artery disease, quitting smoking has been associated with a more favorable prognosis. However, most of these studies comprised younger patients, the majority of whom were males. HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of the study was to determine mortality, mode of death, and risk indicators of death in relation to smoking habits among consecutive patients admitted to the emergency department with acute chest pain. METHODS: In all, 4,553 patients admitted with acute chest pain to the emergency department at Sahlgrenska University Hospital during a period of 21 months were included in the analyses and were prospectively followed for 5 years. RESULTS: Of these patients, 36% admitted current smoking. They were younger and had a lower prevalence of previous cardiovascular diseases than did nonsmokers. The 5-year mortality was 19.4% among smokers and 24.9% among non-smokers (p < 0.0001). However, when adjusting for difference in age, smoking was associated with an increased risk [relative risk (RR) 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-1.74; p < 0.0001]. Among patients presenting originally with chest pain, the increased mortality for smokers was more pronounced in patients with non-acute than acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Among patients who died, death in smokers was less frequently associated with new-onset myocardial infarction (MI) and congestive heart failure. Among those who smoked at onset of symptoms and were alive 1 year later, 25% had stopped smoking. Patients with a confirmed AMI who continued smoking 1 year after onset of symptoms had a higher mortality (28.4%) during the subsequent 4 years than patients who stopped smoking (15.2%; p = 0.049). CONCLUSION: In consecutive patients admitted to the emergency department with acute chest pain, current smoking was significantly associated with an increased risk of death during 5 years of follow-up. Among patients who died, death in smokers was less frequently associated with new-onset MI and congestive heart failure than was death in nonsmokers.     

Comparison of the natural history of new onset and exacerbated chronic ischemic heart disease. The Chest Pain Study Group

To compare the natural history of patients with new onset ischemic heart disease with that of patients with exacerbations of chronic ischemic heart disease, short- and long-term outcomes of 3,465 emergency room patients with acute ischemic heart disease at four community and three university hospitals were evaluated. Acute myocardial infarction was diagnosed in 598 (33%) of the 1,835 patients with a prior history of infarction or angina and 934 (57%) of the 1,630 without such a history (p less than 0.001). Patients with new onset ischemic heart disease with acute myocardial infarction were more likely than patients with infarction and exacerbated chronic ischemic heart disease to have Q wave infarction (57% versus 36%) and to receive thrombolytic therapy (11% versus 5%); they also had higher maximal creatine kinase levels (1,088 +/- 1,299 versus 733 +/- 906 U/liter) (p less than 0.0001 for all three). After adjustment for differences in clinical presentation and initial triage, patients with new onset ischemic heart disease with acute myocardial infarction were less likely than the comparison group to have congestive complications (odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.47 to 0.84, p less than 0.01) but not less likely to have arrhythmic, ischemic or overall complications. Among patients with angina without acute myocardial infarction, patients with new onset ischemic heart disease were less likely to have recurrent ischemic pain and congestive heart failure. In multivariate analysis of long-term follow-up data on 457 patients from one hospital, patients with new onset ischemic heart disease had better cardiovascular survival rates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Prognostic value of troponin T in hospitalized patients with angina or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiac troponins are highly specific and sensitive for detecting minimal myocardial damage. The aim of our study was to determine the prognostic value of troponin T levels in patients hospitalized for suspected angina or myocardial infarction without ST-segment elevation. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We recorded the frequency of death, acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, or need for coronary revascularization in the three months after the onset of symptoms in 346 consecutive patients admitted for suspected acute coronary syndrome, excluding those who developed myocardial infarction with persistent ST-segment elevation. RESULT:. Serum troponin T levels were > or = 0.1 ng/ml in 133 patients (troponin T positive group) and lower in 213 patients (troponin T negative group). The relative risk (RR) and 95 percent confidence intervals (95% CI) of individual and grouped events for the troponin T positive group were 3.2 (95% CI, 1.4-7.3; p = 0.006) for death; 2.8 (95% CI, 1.43-5.51; p = 0.003) for death or myocardial infarction; and 2.8 (95% CI, 1.6-5.0; p < 0.001) for death, myocardial infarction or heart failure. Diabetes mellitus and troponin T levels > or = 0.1 ng/ml had independent prognostic value after adjusting for age, sex, and electrocardiographic changes; with RR 2.5 (95% CI, 1.01-5.9) for death, myocardial infarction or heart failure. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of patients hospitalized for chest pain who do not immediately develop transmural necrosis depends on serum troponin T levels at hospital admission. Troponin T levels > or = 0.1 ng/ml almost triple the risk of major events in the three months after the acute episode. The prognostic value of troponin T is independent of age, sex, presence of diabetes mellitus, and electrocardiographic changes.     

Amounts of coronary arterial narrowing by atherosclerotic plaque at necropsy in patients with lower extremity amputation.

In 26 patients (mean age at death 68 +/- 9 years) who had undergone amputation (at mean age 63 +/- 12 years) of 1 or both lower extremities due to severe peripheral arterial atherosclerosis, the amounts of narrowing at necropsy in the 4 major (left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right) epicardial coronary arteries were determined. During life, 15 of the 26 patients (58%) had symptoms of myocardial ischemia: angina pectoris alone in 1, acute myocardial infarction alone in 5, and angina and/or infarction plus congestive heart failure or sudden coronary death in 9. Twelve of the 26 patients (42%) died from consequences of myocardial ischemia: acute myocardial infarction in 5, sudden coronary death in 3, chronic congestive heart failure in 3, and shortly after coronary bypass surgery in 1. Grossly visible left ventricular necrosis or fibrosis, or both, was present in 21 patients (81%). Of the 26 patients, 24 (92%) had narrowing 76 to 100% in cross-sectional area of 1 or more major coronary arteries by atherosclerotic plaque. The mean number of coronary arteries per patient severely (> 75%) narrowed was 2.3 +/- 1.0/4.0. Of the 104 major coronary arteries in the 26 patients, 60 (58%) were narrowed > 75% in cross-sectional area by plaque. The 4 major coronary arteries in the 26 patients were divided into 5-mm segments and a histologic section, stained by the Movat method, was prepared from each segment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Emotional support and survival after myocardial infarction. A prospective, population-based study of the elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the survival of elderly patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction who have emotional support with that of patients who lack such support, while controlling for severity of disease, comorbidity, and functional status. DESIGN: A prospective, community-based cohort study. SETTING: Two hospitals in New Haven, Connecticut. PATIENTS: Men (n = 100) and women (n = 94) 65 years of age or more hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction between 1982 and 1988. MEASUREMENTS: Social support, age, gender, race, education, marital status, living arrangements, presence of depression, smoking history, weight, and physical function were assessed prospectively using questionnaires. The presence of congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema, and cardiogenic shock; the position of infarction; in-hospital complications; and history of myocardial infarction were assessed using medical records. Comorbidity was defined using an index based on the presence of eight conditions. RESULTS: Of 194 patients, 76 (39%) died in the first 6 months after myocardial infarction. In multiple logistic regression analyses, lack of emotional support was significantly associated with 6-month mortality (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2 to 6.9) after controlling for severity of myocardial infarction, comorbidity, risk factors such as smoking and hypertension, and sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSIONS: When emotional support was assessed before myocardial infarction, it was independently related to risk for death in the subsequent 6 months.     

Chest pain unit: one-year follow-up

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: In Spain there is little information available about chest pain units for the treatment of patients of low-to-medium risk with suspected acute coronary syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A prospective study was performed among emergency room patients who complained about acute chest pain and were suspected of suffering an acute coronary syndrome with a normal or unspecific initial evaluation. They underwent an early submaximum stress test to decide on possible hospitalization. The follow-up time was 1 year. RESULTS: Of 472 emergency room patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome, 179 performed the stress-test during the first hours of the triggering chest pain episode. None met the high-risk criteria for unstable angina. In 78.8% of the cases, the test results were negative and the patients were discharged. The results were positive in 15.1% and inconclusive in 6.1%; there were no complications during the procedure. Patients with a negative stress test had a more favorable outcome than the rest, with fewer following visits to the emergency room (11% vs 22%, p<0.001). One patient with a negative stress test died of a non-cardiovascular complication. None of the patients suffered acute myocardial infarction during follow-up and 89% of the patients with negative stress test had a favorable outcome (in terms of visits to the emergency room, unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular death). CONCLUSIONS: Chest pain units for the care of low-to-medium risk patients with acute chest pain allow a fast and safe hospital release with a favorable mid-term outcome.     

Cardiovascular outcome in hospitalized patients with minimal troponin I elevation and normal creatine phosphokinase

BACKGROUND: Among patients with acute coronary syndrome, elevated cardiac troponin and creatine phosphokinase MB fraction levels have both prognostic and diagnostic values. However, in hospitalized patients, cardiac biomarkers are measured in a variety of clinical situations including but not limited to acute coronary syndrome. Moreover, these patients may have elevated troponin levels with no increase in creatine phosphokinase MB fraction levels. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cardiovascular outcome of acutely ill, hospitalized patients with minimal troponin I increase with normal creatine phosphokinase MB fraction. METHODS: We identified 64 patients retrospectively from our database with minimal troponin I increase and normal creatine phosphokinase MB fraction hospitalized between November 1998 and April 2000. Discharged patients were questioned about re-hospitalization for myocardial infarction, unstable coronary syndrome, congestive heart failure and percutaneous coronary intervention by means of a structured questionnaire. For those patients who died during hospitalization, data were collected from hospital records. For patients who died at home or at a different institution, a surviving relative completed the questionnaire. Primary outcomes were death, myocardial infarction and the need for revascularization or re-hospitalization. RESULTS: Composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting and re-hospitalization for cardiac cause occurred in 35.95% of patients within 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant composite event rate of death, myocardial infarction or re-hospitalization for cardiac causes in acutely ill, hospitalized patients with normal creatine phosphokinase MB fraction and minimally elevated troponin I, regardless of the cause for hospitalization.     

Serum C-reactive protein concentration in acute myocardial infarction and its relationship to mortality during 24 months of follow-up in patients under thrombolytic treatment

Objectives We studied the relationship between serum C-reactiveprotein and mortality in acute myocardial infarction. Background Early recanalization of an infarct-related coronaryartery is considered to be an essential prerequisite for reducingmortality by thrombolytic treatment in acute myocardial infarction.It also reduces the inflammatory reaction caused by acute myocardialinfarction and is measurable by determination of serum C-reactiveprotein concentrations. We therefore studied the prognosticvalue of determining serum C-reactive protein in acute myocardialinfarction. Methods We measured serum C-reactive protein concentrationsdaily for 6 days and creatine kinase, as well as its MB isoenzymeconcentrations twice a day, for 3 days after a myocardial infarct,in 188 consecutive patients selected for thrombolytic therapyand treated in the same University Hospital Coronary Care Unit.The highest serum concentrations were related to total mortalityas well as to the causes of death 3, 3–6, 6–12 and12–24 months after the onset of the myocardial infarction. Results The highest serum concentrations of serum C-reactiveprotein were observed 2 to 4 days after the onset of myocardialinfarction. The mean value of the highest serum concentrationof C-reactive protein in patients who survived the whole 24-monthstudy period was 65 mg. l^–1 with the 95% confidence intervalsfor the mean ranging from 58 to 71. The corresponding valuesin those who died within 3, 3–6, 6–12 and 12–24months were 166 (139–194), 136 (88–184), 85 (52–119)and 74 (38–111) mg.l^–1 respectively. The valuesin those who died within 3 and 3–6 months of the infarctiondiffered statistically significantly from the values in thosewho survived the whole period (P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively).In patients who died due to congestive heart failure the meanhighest serum C-reactive protein concentration was 226 (189–265)mg . l^–1 In those who suffered sudden cardiac death andthose who died from a new myocardial infarction or non-cardiaccauses, the respective values were 167 (138–196), 64 (38–89)and 48 (10–86) mg. l^–1. The values in those whodied due to congestive heart failure and those suffering suddencardiac death differed statistically significantly (P<0.001)from the values of those who survived or died due to other causes.The highest serum concentrations of creatine kinase or its MBisoenzyme were not associated with mortality in this study. Conclusions High serum C-reactive protein concentrations inacute myocardial infarction patients treated with thrombolyticdrugs predict increased mortality up to 6 months following theinfarction. Accordingly, reduction of inflammatory reactionby successful thrombolytic treat ment may make an importantcontribution to the survival benefit of thrombolytic treatmentof acute myocardial infarction.     

Coronary artery disease in patients dying from cardiogenic shock or congestive heart failure in the setting of acute myocardial infarction.

Pathological findings in the heart and particularly in the coronary arteries are reported from 70 patients dying from pump failure after acute myocardial infarction. Fifty of the patients had died in cardiogenic shock, the remainder from refractory congestive heart failure. Three-vessel disease (greater than or equal to 75% occlusion) was present in 68 per cent of the group with cardiogenic shock but in only 35 per cent of those with fatal congestive heart failure (P less than 0-02). In both groups there was an almost equal incidence (84% for cardiogenic shock and 80% for congestive heart failure) of severe disease (greater than or equal to 75% occlusion) over a long segment of the left anterior descending artery. However, there were differences between the two groups regarding the involvement of the other coronary arteries. Whereas patients with cardiogenic shock generally showed severe disease over a long segment in all coronary arteries, in 60 per cent of those with congestive heart failure there was only local severe narrowing of the right coronary artery with little or no narrowing of the peripheral part. Similarly, 60 per cent of those with congestive heart failure had less than 75 per cent narrowing in the left circumflex artery. These anatomical findings may be of relevance with regard to desirability of acute coronary bypass surgery in patients with pump failure after acute myocardial infarction.     

Incidence and significance of pericardial effusion in acute myocardial infarction as determined by two-dimensional echocardiography

To determine the incidence and clinical significance of pericardial effusion after acute myocardial infarction, two-dimensional echocardiography was serially performed in 66 consecutive patients. Pericardial effusion was observed in 17 (26%); the effusion was small in 13 patients, moderate in 3 and large with signs of cardiac tamponade in 1. In this patient, two-dimensional echocardiography strongly suggested myocardial rupture. The observation of pericardial effusion was not associated with age, sex, previous myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation or treatment with heparin. It was more often a complication of anterior than of inferior acute infarction. Patients with pericardial effusion had higher peak levels of creatine kinase and lactic dehydrogenase and a higher wall motion score index. More patients with pericardial effusion had congestive heart failure or ventricular arrhythmias, developed a ventricular aneurysm or died within 1 year after their infarction. In conclusion, pericardial effusion is frequently visualized by two-dimensional echocardiography after acute myocardial infarction and its presence is associated with an increased occurrence of complications and cardiac death.     

The influence of angina the week before a first myocardial infarction on short and medium-term prognosis

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The implications of early angina on the prognosis of myocardial infarction are controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of angina one week before the first myocardial infarction on short and medium-term prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A total of 290 consecutive patients (107 with previous angina and 183 without it) with the first myocardial infarction were studied to determine the effect of preceding angina on short and medium-term prognosis. Further criteria for inclusion were no previous history of angina > 1 week before the first myocardial infarction, and no evidence of prior structural cardiopathy. The end points studied were death and congestive heart failure in the acute phase of myocardial infarction and during the follow-up. RESULTS: Patients with a history of prodromal angina were less likely to experience in-hospital death, heart failure or combined end-point (3.7 vs 11.5%; 4.6 vs 15.8%; 7.5 vs 21.3%) (p = 0.002). There was also a difference between groups in the follow-up (4.1 vs 13.2%; p = 0.03). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the presence of preinfarction angina was an independent predictor of death and heart failure in the acute phase of myocardial infarction as well as in the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of angina one week before the first myocardial infarction protects against death and heart failure in the acute phase of myocardial infarction as well as in the medium follow-up.