In the submitted study the authors evaluate the relationship of the clinical course in patients with inferior myocardial infarction (AIM) in relation to the electrocardiographic (ECG) finding in standard and dextro-lateral leads. In a group of 96 patients (mean age 65 +/- 10 years, 66 men and 30 women) according to the ECG 38 had an isolated inferior AIM (group 1), 28 had signs of extension of the inferior AIM to the posterior wall of the left ventricle (group 2) and 30 patients in group 3 had an extension of the inferior AIM to the right ventricle, i.e. an infarction of the right ventricle. All three groups differed significantly as regards the extent of the AIM according to creatine kinase values (7.1 +/- 4.4 and 18.2 +/- 7.2 resp. and 24.8 +/- 11.6 resp.), as regards mortality (0 and 14% and 37% resp.). In group 2, contrary to the other groups, the significantly most frequent complication was pulmonary oedema (36%) and ventricular tachycardia (30%) and in group 3 the significantly most frequent complication was cardiogenic shock (30%) and advanced atrioventricular block (50%). The cause of death in these patients with infarctions of the right ventricle was cardiogenic shock (n = 6), cardiac rupture (n = 3) and electromechanical dissociation (n = 2). A total of 29 (30%) patients with inferior AIM were treated by temporary pacing: in group 1 21%, in group 2 14% and in group 3 57%. The prognosis of these patients was favourable in groups 1 and 2 (1 of 12 patients died) while in group 3 with infarctions of the right ventricle 9 of 17 patients died (p < or = 0.001). The authors found moreover that patients with precordial depression of the ST segment and inferior AIM have, as compared with patients without this depression, significantly higher creatine kinase values (12.5 +/- 5.5 vs. 5.2 +/- 1.3 mu kat; p < or = 0.001) and a higher general incidence of complications. Patients with inferior AIM are thus a non-homogeneous group from which we can differentiate, based on standard ECG examination and by recording right-sided thoracic leads, patients with an increased risk and start specific treatment in time.

Keywords: Aged; Electrocardiography; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction /diagnosis/