Urinary catecholamines and serum free fatty acids in acute myocardial infarction

ABSTRACT

Twenty-one patients with acute myocardial infarction [AMI] were studied, 9 without complications, 7 with bradyarrhythmia, 5 with heart failure and 10 normal subjects as a control group. All were subjected to estimation of total catecholamines in urine, urinary adrenaline, noradrenaline and VMA, and serum free fatty acids [FFA]. Foods containing catecholamine-like compounds were excluded from diet. It was found that urinary VMA showed a significant increase with AMI whether complicated or not. A significant change in the level of adrenaline and noradrenalin in uncomplicated AMI, on the other hand, the increase in adrenaline, noradrenalin and catecholamines occurred in complicated AMI