Catecholamines and free fatty acids in myocardial infarction and angina.

Total urinary catecholamines and plasma free fatty acids (FFA) were estimated serially in 50 patients with myocardial infarction (A) and in 27 cases of angina (B). A group of 24 normal healthy subjects (C) were also studied as controls. Catecholamines were significantly high (p is less than 0.001) in group A in the first 48 hours after infarction as compared to group C. Group B did not show significant variation from the normals (C). FFA also tended to increase only in group A in the first 48 hours. Both the parameters had returned to normal by 72 hours. The significance of the findings is discussed.