The prevalence and prognosis of ventricular dyskinesis after myocardial infarction using radionuclide ventriculography

To assess the prevalence and prognosis of ventricular dyskinesis,radionuclide ventriculography was performed on 100 consecutivepatients just before discharge from hospital following theirfirst myocardial infarction; thereafter follow-up studies wereperformed after one and four months. Dyskinesis of the leftventricle was seen in 25 patients who had sustained transmuralinfarction which was anterior in 19 and inferolateral in six.Clinical examination poorly predicted dyskinesis; 20 patientsexhibited persisting ST segment elevation on the electrocardiogram,but only 10 had radiological cardiomegaly at the time of discharge.Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was significantlyreduced at discharge (0.23 ± 0.07, mean ± 1 S.D)and for the group failed to improve four months after infarction.However, 10 patients remained free from cardiac failure duringfollow-up and could be distinguished by otherwise good leftventricular regional wall movement.