[Free-radical lipid peroxidation in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock].

The pattern of variation in primary and end products of erythrocyte lipid peroxidation (LPO) was examined in 131 patients with acute myocardial infarction. The levels of LPO products were found to be increased dramatically, the magnitude and duration of the increase being dependent on the severity of cardiogenic shock complicating myocardial infarction. The changes were particularly marked in true cardiogenic shock. The level of LPO products fell significantly on day 2-3 of myocardial infarction where it stabilized until the end of the study in patients with uncomplicated infarction treated with alpha-tocopherol acetate in addition to a symptomatic therapy. This pattern is attributed to an inhibitory effect this antioxidant may have on LPO.