Abstract
Background: One of the causes of mortality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is ventricular tachycardia. Potassium (K) level disturbances is one of the probable causes of ventricular tachycardia in patients with AMI. Objective: To determine the relationship between serum potassium level and frequency of ventricular tachycardia in early stage of AMI. Methods: Through a cross-sectional study on 162 patients with AMI in the C.C.U of Nour hospital in Isfahan (1999), the patients’ serum postassium level was classified into three groups: 1) K<3.8 meq/lit, 2) 3.8?K<4.5 meq/lit and 3) K?4.5 meq/lit. Then, the incidence of ventricular tachycardia in the first 24 hours after AMI was determined in each group by Chi-squre statistical method. Findings: The frequency of ventricular tachycardia in the first 24 hours after AMI in K<3.8 meq/lit, 3.8?K<4.5 meq/lit and K?4.5 meq/lit groups were 19.0%, 9.6% and 9.9% respectively. The frequency of this arrhythmia in the first group as compared with the second and the third group was significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Hypokalemia increase the probability of ventricular tachycardia in patients with AMI. Thus, the follow up and treatment of hypokalemia in these patients is of special importance.
Keywords
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) Ventricular tachycardia Hypokalemia Serum potassium level
Copyright
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