CAN ECG-CHANGES PREDICT THE LONG-TERM OUTCOME IN PATIENTS ADMITTED TOHOSPITAL FOR SUSPECTED ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

7,028 patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction and discharg ed alive from hospital were followed in a 10-year community-based stud y. The long-term prognosis was relatively good if the electrocardiogra ms (ECGs) were normal (5-year all-cause death rate 5%), poor with unco dable ECGs showing rhythm or conduction disturbances (37%), and interm ediate with new Q wave, new ST elevation, new T wave inversion or isch emic ECG (17-21%), and with new ST depression (27%). Similar patterns were found for ischemic cardiac death and reinfarction. The long-term prognosis of patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction is re latively good if the ECGs are normal and poor if ECGs are uncodable. S T depression may be a marker for a worse long-term outcome.