[Causes of early mortality in myocardial infarct].

The causes of lethality were studied in 49 patients with acute myocardial infarction of an average age 71.24 +/- 12.12. that died within the first 6 hours after their admission to hospital in the period 972-1979. They represent 15.46 per cent of all patients with infarction that died during that period. The anterior localization of the infarction (extent of necrosis), the repeated myocardial infarction and existing cardiac insufficiency are of significance for the lethality out of the factors studied. The acute rhythm and conductivity disturbances are the cause for the lethality in 38.78 per cent of the patients, acute cardiovascular failure (shock and/or pulmonary edema)--52.02 per cent, whereas rupture of the ventricular wall and pulmonary embolism are rare--8.16 per cent and 2.04 per cent respectively. During the first hour of hospital admission--30.64 per cent of the patients died, whereas during the rest of the hours up to the sixth hour the lethality was respectively--18.38%, 12.24%, 20.4%, 8.16% and 10.20% of the patients. Some of the other factors of significance for the early lethality were also analyzed and some measures for their prophylaxis or reduction of intensity of their effect were recommended.