STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF THROMBOLYTIC THERAPY ON THE LATE POTENTIALS BY SIGNAL AVERAGED ECG RECORDING IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

Although various modes of treatment, such as the widespread use of Beta adrenergic agents & the thrombolytic therapy have led to a reduction of the incidence of ischemia-related arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains a leading cause of death in the western world.

A couple of decades ago and specifically in 1973, Stopczyk performed the first signal-averaging surface recording of electrical activity during the PR segment. (Stopczyk et al., 1973). Later on, signal averaging attracted the attention in detecting delayed ventricular activation on the body surface (Breithardt et al, 1980, Simson et al., 1981).

Fragmented electrograms can be recorded from ischemic ventricular myocardium (Klein et al., 1982). The area from which these delayed electrograms originate may be foci of reentrant ventricular tachyarrhythmias. (El Sherif & Hope 1977).

Retrospective clinical studies have documented a close association between the presence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI). It has been suggested that screening the patients with CAD for the