EFFECT OF THROMBOLYTIC THERAPY FOR ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION ON THE INCIDENCE OF VENTRICULAR LATE POTENTIALS

The aim of thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction is reperfusion of the infarction-related vessel. Ventricular late potentials detected by signal averaging have been demonstrated to be related to slow and inhomogeneous conduction within damaged cardiac tissue. In 75 patients with first myocardial infarction the effect of thrombolysis on ventricular late potentials was studied. Reperfusion of the infarction-related vessel could be demonstrated by coronary angiography in 53 (71%) patients. In 22 patients (29%) there was no reperfusion. In the 53 patients with successful thrombolysis the incidence of late potentials was significantly lower (9%) than in the 22 patients without reperfusion (50%). The lower incidence of late potentials may demonstrate improved ventricular electrical stability.