Clinical setting and prognostic significance of high degree atrioventricular block in acute inferior myocardial infarction: a study of 144 patients

Abstract

High degree AV block occurred in 144 of 843 patients consecutively admitted because of acute inferior myocardial infarction and was associated with more extensive myocardial damage and a higher mortality rate, as compared to those without AV block. Patients with power failure at the time of appearance of high degree AV block and a ventricular rate of less than 50 per minute, seemed to profit from pacemaker therapy. By contrast in patients with power failure and a ventricular rate of more than 50 per minute, pacemaker insertion did not affect immediate prognosis.