Left atrial abnormality in acute myocardial infarction.

This study assessed left atrial abnormality by electrocardiogram as a predictor of left ventricular dysfunction during acute myocardial infarction. Hemodynamic, angiocardiographic, echocardiographic, and serial creatine kinase-MB studies revealed the electrocardiogram to be a significant predictor of location of acute myocardial infarction, prevalence of occlusive disease in coronary vessels, myocardial contractility, low ejection fraction, increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and serial creatine kinase-MB.