Sudden death and factors related to long-term prognosis following acute myocardial infarction.

Factors related to a 6-year prognosis after acute myocardial infarction were studied in a series of 158 men. The prognostic power of clinical and electrocardiographic variables recorded soon after infarction and in connection with exercise test were analysed by stepwise multiple discriminant analysis. The best predictor of poor prognosis was pathological P terminal force. The discriminatory power of the same pattern of variables had weakened slightly when this 6-year analysis was compared with earlier made 2- and 4-year analyses. The prognosis was correctly predicted in 86, 80 and 74% of cases in 2-, 4- and 6-year analyses, respectively. Sudden death was most usual in the last trimester during the 6-year follow-up period. Paradoxical cardiac pulsation, T wave negativity after exercise, earlier resuscitation, sedentary life before infarction and occurrence of ectopic beats during exercise were of discriminatory value in relation to sudden death.