Prediction of ventrieular arrhythmias and sud-den cardiac death after myocardial infarction

In order to stratificate the risk of aı-rhythmi• events (AE) such as sudden cardiac death, vent-ricular fibrillation, sustained vertricular tach-ycardia in the first year after myocardial infarction, 62 patients were evaluated with echocardiography, Holter monitorisation and high resolution signal averaged electrocarcliography (H1-RES ECG). Patients were divided into 2 subgroups according ta presence on absence of AE [AE (+): 5 (%8), AE (-): 57 (%92)]. Patients with AE [(mean left ventriculaı-eje•tion fr-action (LVEF): % 48±I 3.5 showed 5 (%100) late potentials (LP). 1 (%20) malign VA and 3 (%60) LV dysfunction with LVEF 5 %40, while the other patients with AE (-) (LVEF % 55±9.7) had 28 (49%) LP (+), 2(%3.5) malign VA ve 7 (%12) LVEF5._%40 (p<0.05, p>0.05, p<0.0I ). During the 1 year follow-up, LP (+) patients (n=33) who had 6 (18%) LVEF%40 and 3(%9) malign VA showed 5 (%15) sudden death, while LP (-) patients (n=29) who had 4 (13.8%) VEF5_%40 but no malign VA, showed nn sudden death (p>0.05, p>0.05, p<0.05). Patients with VA (n=14) who had 1 1(%78.5) LP (+) and 5.(%35.7) LVEF.40 showed 4 (%28.5) sud-den death in the first year after AMI, whereas pa-tients without VA (n=48) who had 22 (%45.8) LP ( +) and 5(%10) LVEF<%40 showed 1 (2%) sudden death (p<0.05, p<0.05, p<0.01 ). Patients with LVEF5_%40 (n=10), who had 6 (%60) LP (+) and 1 (%1 O) malign VA before hospital discharge evolved 3 (%30) sudden death, wheı-eas pa-tients with LVEF>%40 (n=52) who had 27 (%51 .9) LP (+) and 2 (%3.8) malign' VA before hospital dis•-harge, showed 2 (%3.8) sudden death in the one year follow-up period (p>0.05, p>0.05, p<0.01). In conclusion, in the risk stratification of arrhy-thmic events after AM!. alt of the thı-ee methods (ec-hocardiography, Holter, HI-RES ECG) are usefill where HI-RES ECG is more sensitive.