Long-term survival after myocardial infarction as related to early complications.

The material consists of 404 hospitalized patients with their first AMI. After an observation time of 1 and 5 yr, respectively, the mortality was 27% and 45%, against an expected mortality of 3% and 17% in a corresponding normal population. The annual mortality rate was 5.5% from 1 to 3 yr after the acute infarction, against an expected 3.5%. 3-5 yr after occurrence of the infarction, both the observed and expected annual mortality rates were 3.5%. In patients alive 1 mth after the acute attack, congestive heart failure (CHF) or left bundle branch block (LBBB) or secondary ventricular fibrillation (VF) during the acute phase gave a lower long-term survival, as compared to patients without CHF, intraventricular block or VF, respectively. Left anterior hemiblock, complete atrioventricular block following inferior infarction, or primary VF had no influence on the long-term prognosis.