Abstract
Serum potassium concentrations obtained on admission to hospital were inversely related to the incidence of ventricular fibrillation in 289 women and 785 men with acute myocardial infarction, 92 of whom developed ventricular fibrillation. Hypokalaemia (serum potassium concentration less than or equal to 3.5 mmol/l) was found in 122 patients (11.4%). The incidence of ventricular fibrillation was significantly greater in patients with hypokalaemia compared with those classified as normokalaemic (serum potassium concentration greater than or equal to 3.6 mmol/l) (17.2% v 7.4%). The increased risk of ventricular fibrillation in the hypokalaemic group was about the same for women and men. While they were in hospital patients with hypokalaemia developed ventricular fibrillation significantly earlier than did normokalaemic patients (median 0.3 hours v 7 hours). Hypokalaemia was more common in women (17.3%) than in men (9.2%), and 55% of the hypokalaemic patients had been treated with diuretics before admission compared with 22% of the normokalaemic group. Hypokalaemia on admission to hospital predicts an increased likelihood and early occurrence of ventricular fibrillation in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Beck O. A., Hochrein H. Serumkaliumspiegel und Herzrhythmusstörungen beim akuten Myokardinfarkt. Z Kardiol. 1977 Apr;66(4):187–190. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Duke M. Thiazide-induced hypokalemia. Association with acute myocardial infarction and ventricular fibrillation. JAMA. 1978 Jan 2;239(1):43–45. doi: 10.1001/jama.239.1.43. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dyckner T., Helmers C., Lundman T., Wester P. O. Initial serum potassium level in relation to early complications and prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Acta Med Scand. 1975 Mar;197(3):207–210. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1975.tb04903.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hulting J. In-hospital ventricular fibrillation and its relation to serum potassium. Acta Med Scand Suppl. 1981;647:109–116. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1981.tb02646.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Solomon R. J., Cole A. G. Importance of potassium in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Acta Med Scand Suppl. 1981;647:87–93. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1981.tb02643.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Steiness E., Olesen K. H. Cardiac arrhythmias induced by hypokalaemia and potassium loss during maintenance digoxin therapy. Br Heart J. 1976 Feb;38(2):167–172. doi: 10.1136/hrt.38.2.167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Struthers A. D., Reid J. L., Whitesmith R., Rodger J. C. Effect of intravenous adrenaline on electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and serum potassium. Br Heart J. 1983 Jan;49(1):90–93. doi: 10.1136/hrt.49.1.90. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]