PRODROMES IN ACUTE MYOCARDIAL I NFARCTION*

Abstract

Discussion: Fatigue and exerlional dyspnea are probably due to impaired left ventricular performance causing decreased cardiac output. Coronary athero sclerosis in these patients has already caused borderline cardiac reserve unable to withstand any physical or emotional stress. Possibly, depletion f cardiac catecholamines occurs through years of stress occasioned by Type A personality, abnormal behavior patients and work addiction. Considering the high incidence of sudden deaths, staggering prehospital mortality, still high coronary care unit death rate and high incidence of morbidity in survivors of acute myocardial infarction, it is perhaps appropriate to study further the prodromes of acute myocardial infarctin so that therapeutic interv entions at the earliest may help salvage a substantial percentage of prospective candidates for myocardial infaiction.