Serial Angiographic Studies before and after Acute Myocardial Infarction in Man

Abstract

In this study, 6 patients underwent angiographic assessment prior to and subsequent to acute myocardial infarction. The mean inter-angiographic interval was 36 months and the mean infarct to angiography interval was 8 months. Left ventricular ejection fraction decreased from 0.69 to 0.45 after infarction. The degree of left ventricular dysfunction after infarction did not necessarily relate to the site or type of infarction. All patients had significant progression of their coronary lesions with occlusion of a major coronary vessel in the interval. Coronary artery occlusion with infarction produces a variable degree of damage and subsequent left ventricular dysfunction.