FREQUENCY OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND ITS COMMON CLINICAL OUTCOMES AMONG PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

Objective: To determine frequency of atrial fibrillation and its common clinical
outcomes among patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction.

Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at
Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar from 1st May to 31st October 2013.
Patients who were admitted with Acute Myocardial Infarction( STEMI and
NSTEMI) were included. These patients were closely monitored and any episode
of AF was recorded. Those patients who developed AF were closely monitored for
common clinical outcomes in the form of stroke, VT, VF, and death for maximum
of 7 days during hospital stay. The collected data was stored and analyzed in
SPSS version 10.0 for windows. Mean±SD was calculated for numerical
variables like age. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical
variables like gender, AF, VT, VF, stroke, type of MI, and death. AF and its common clinical outcomes were stratified among age, gender, and type of MI to see the effect modifications.

Results: Out of 241 patients with acute myocardial infarction, males were 137
(56%) while females were 104 (43.2%). The mean age of the patients was
60.47±9.79 years. 174 (72.2%) patients had STEMI, while 67 (27.8%) patients
had NSTEMI. Atrial fibrillation was found in 22 (9.1%) patients out of which,
22.7% had VF, followed by VT in 18.2% patients, while 18.2% patients died, and
13.6% patients sustained stroke.

Conclusion: Atrial Fibrillation complicating acute myocardial infarction is
common in our population. Such patients should be identified and closely
monitored as they have got higher rate of complications and mortality during
hospital course.