[Catecholamines and 17-hydroxycorticosteroids in the blood of patients with myocardial infarct in the surgical and internal disease clinics].

The blood of 131 patients with myocardial infarction and of 131 patients who underwent operation and had no necrosis of the cardiac muscle was tested for the content of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and 17-oxycorticosteroids (17-OCS). In 20 patients with postoperative myocardial infarction the level of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and 17-OCS rose during the operation and before and after the development of the disease. In patients with myocardial infarction the level of catecholamines was found to be increased in the first 10 days and the level of 17-OCS only in the first 3 days of the disease. In patients who underwent operation but had no myocardial infarction, the content of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and 17-OCS increased before and during the operation and on the 1st postoperative day. The authors believe that the increase in the level of catecholamines and 17-OCS may be one of the mechanisms of the development of postoperative myocardial infarction.