PROGNOSIS OF VENTRICULAR-FIBRILLATION IN HOSPITAL

In a retrospective study of 520 patients with in-hospital ventricular fibrillation 421 (81%) had acute myocardial infarction (MI),66 (13%) had ischaemic heart disease (IHD) without M 1,33 (6%) had no signs of IHD. The in-hospital mortality of these three groups was 51%, 52% and 27%, respectively (P = 0.01). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that heart failure and cardiogenic shock were significant risk factors for in-hospital death among patients with IHD. Among discharged patients 1 and 5 years survival was 78% and 51% for patients with MI, 63% and 25% for patients with IHD, 67% and 54% for patients without IHD. A proportional hazard model demonstrated old age, heart failure and cardiogenic shock as risk factors for long-term prognosis, while MI was associated with a reduced relative risk ratio = 0.58 of long-term mortality among patients with IHD. In conclusion, patients with known IHD suffering in-hospital VF without AMI have a very poor short-and long-term prognosis. These patients need extensive cardiac examination. © 1992 The European Society of Cardiology.