Post-myocardial infarction risk stratification.

Increased morbidity and mortality after a myocardial infarct are related to residual myocardial ischemia, ventricular dysrhythmias, and left ventricular dysfunction. Clinical assessment of the survivor of an acute myocardial infarct, together with non-invasive assessment involving a combination of symptom-limited low-level treadmill stress testing, ambulatory electrocardiography and radionuclide studies of selected patients, allows stratification of patients into low-risk, intermediate-risk and high-risk sub-groups. This process results in the tailoring of further investigation and treatment to the individual patient and avoids unnecessary interventions and therapies in the low-risk population.