[Possible evidence for a reduction of early and late mortality during nitroglycerin therapy in acute myocardial infarction].

60 patients with acute myocardial infarction were randomized in two groups to examine the influence of intravenous nitroglycerin on early and late prognosis. 31 patients received intravenous nitroglycerin in the first 2-3 days. One cardiac death following an emergency bypass operation occurred in the early phase during the first 14 days (3%). 5 of the 29 patients in the control group died during the same period (17%), however, cardiac cause was not entirely clear in one case.--In the late phase on the average 1 1/2 years later 3 deaths were registered in 27 treated patients (11%) compared to 7 of 23 patients in the control group (30%). For this difference in mortality reduced infarct size as well as possibly the higher dose of nitrates (38 versus 21 mg/die) were responsible. Sudden deaths and the incidence of reinfarction with and without death during the early and late observation period were significantly lower in the nitroglycerin group (11% - 3 patients) compared to the control group (39% - 11 patients, p less than 0.01).--This pilot result seems to indicate a beneficial influence of nitroglycerin therapy in the acute phase for prognosis for the short term and long term follow up. The result should simulate trials in larger patient groups.