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Arrhythmia prophylaxis after acute myocardial infraction: A decade of controversy

  • Focused Section on Acute Myocardial Ischemia and Infarction
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Summary

Primary ventricular fibrillation continues to be a major complication of acute myocardial infarction occurring in 5–9% of patients in the coronary care unit and in a higher percentage of pre-hospital admissions. Prophylactic antiarrhythmic drugs can prevent primary ventricular fibrillation. Lidocaine has been used for this purpose and can be administered safely and effectively in most patients by following well-established programs based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data. the in-hospital mortality for patients with primary ventricular fibrillation exceeds that of matched controls not having the arrhythmia, and many studies have failed to confirm these long-term results Other studies have failed to confirm these long-term results and have produced controversy among cardiologists. I continue to recommend prophylactic antiarrhythmic drugs for all patients with acute infarction, especially in those undergoing early interventional therapy.

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  1. University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

    Donald C. Harrison MD

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  1. Donald C. Harrison MD
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Harrison, D.C. Arrhythmia prophylaxis after acute myocardial infraction: A decade of controversy. Cardiovasc Drug Ther 2, 783–789 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00133208

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