Seasonal variation in sudden cardiac death after experimental myocardial infarction.

The authors studied the incidence of sudden death by monitoring the ECG after ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in 184 dogs. A significant number of sudden deaths (46 dogs) occurred in the cold weather months, November-February (42%), compared to the summer months, July and August (6%). All deaths resulted from ventricular tachyarrhythmias (greater than or equal to 300/min) and occurred between 13 and 22 hours after coronary artery ligation. The survivors (138 dogs) were subjected to electrophysiological study, during which a significantly higher number showed induced sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) (heart rate greater than or equal to 300/min) during the winter months than during the summer months. Heart weight and infarct mass were not significantly different throughout the year. Higher sympathetic tone or catecholamine levels may account for the seasonal variation in sudden death during evolving myocardial infarction.