SUM OF ST-SEGMENT ELEVATIONS ON ADMISSION ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS IN ACUTEMYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION PREDICTS LEFT-VENTRICULAR DILATION

Thrombolysis can counteract left ventricular dilation by reducing infa rct size,(1) but it does not seem that it can be completely prevented. (1,2) In contrast, early administration of angiotensin converting enzy me (ACE) inhibitors has proved to be very effective in this setting,(3 -6) which especially concerns patients with reduced left ventricular f unction,(5,6) and also is true for patients without symptoms.(5,6) Thu s, there is a demand for rapid and easily accessible noninvasive diagn ostic procedures. The purpose of our study was to analyze the ST segme nts of admission electrocardiograms (EGG) that diagnose acute myocardi al infarction (MI) and to relate it to serial parameters of infarct si ze, left ventricular volume, and survival rates.