ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

Abstract Atrial fibrillation (AF) observed during the first 24 hours in a coronary care unit (CCU) has been analysed in 450 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction. AF was seen in 15% of the patients and was found to be associated with a significantly raised hospital mortality, 38% against 18% for the remainder. Repeated episodes of AF were not associated with a raised mortality. The patients with AF were older, more often in left heart failure, and more commonly lacked diagnostic EGG findings of an acute infarction. Sinus rhythm was present at the time of discharge from the CCU, or prior to death in the CCU, in 67% of the patients with AF.