Arrhythmia pattern in patients with acute myocardial infarction

ABSTRACT

Background: Acute myocardial infarction is characterized by generalized autonomic dysfunction that results in enhanced automaticity of the myocardium and conduction system. Objectives: To assess the incidence of tachy- and bradyarrhythmic episodes in patients with acute myocardial infarction, to find out whether incidence of arrhythmias is higher in STEMI compared to NSTEMI and to evaluate are there any specific arrhythmias responsible for the increased mortality in acute MI. Materials and methods: Hundred patients admitted consecutively into PIMS CCU with the diagnosis of MI were studied. All of them had electrocardiographic evidence of infarction in case of STEMI. They also had electrocardiographic evidence of infarction and positive cardiac troponin I in case of NSTEMI. Results: 30% of study population had valvular heart diseases whereas 70% were free of any valvular disease. 92% of study population was TROP I positive and 8% were TROP I negative. 11% of study population underwent thrombolysis and 6% underwent angioplasty. 83% of study population had NSTEMI and 17% had STEMI. 9% of study population had heart failure and 91% were devoid of heart failure. Conclusion: 58% of study population had arrhythmias. 75.9% of arrhythmias were single and 24.1% were multiple 69% of arrhythmias were major and 31% were minor. There was no significant association between incidence of arrhythmias/ multiple arrythmias / major arrhythmias with valvular heart disease/ heart failure/ TROP I/ procedure/ Killips groups.