Predictors Of Death And Ventricular-Fibrillation In Acute Myocardial-Infarction

Background: The aim of this study is to describe predictors of death and ventricular fibrillation during hospitalization and predictors of death during the first year after hospital discharge in patients having suffered from acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods: Seven hundred seventy-nine consecutive patients admitted to the coronary care unit in one single hospital are included in the analysis.Results: Predictors of death during hospitalization in order of significance were: 1) age (P < 0.001); 2) Q-wave on admission (P < 0.01); 3) a previous history of diabetes mellitus (P < 0.01); 4) arrhythmia at onset of symptoms (P < 0.05); and 5) S-enzyme maximum activity (P < 0.05). The only risk indicator for ventricular fibrillation was enzyme-estimated infarct size (P < 0.001). Risk indications for death after hospital discharge were: 1) age (P < 0.001); 2) acute congestive heart failure on admission (P < 0.01); 3) previous history of hypertension (P < 0.01); and 4) previous history of myocardial infarction (P < 0.05). Patients in whom beta-blockers were prescribed at discharge had a 1 -year mortality rate of 10% versus 24% for those in whom beta-blockers were not prescribed (P < 0.001).Conclusions: With the exception of age, risk indicators for death during hospitalization differ from risk indicators for death after hospital discharge among patients admitted to the coronary care unit due to AMI.