The effect of statin therapy on ventricular late potentials in acute myocardial infarction

50th Annual Scientific Session of the American-College-of-Cardiology -- MAR 18-21, 2001 -- ORLANDO, FLWOS: 000184608200010PubMed ID: 12821221Aims: To determine whether early statin therapy in acute myocardial infarction has any effect on ventricular late potentials which are considered as a noninvasive tool for evaluation of arrhythmogenic substrate. Methods and results: Study population consisted of prospectively enrolled 72 patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction ( 114 ms, root mean square voltage of the last 40 ins of the QRS 38 ms. Changes observed in signal-averaged ECG recordings after thrombolysis were evaluated statistically with regard to statin usage. There were no significant differences between the clinical characteristics of the two randomized groups. There was a significant decrease in the rates of late potentials between the first and third signal-averaged ECG recordings after thrombolytic therapy in pravastatin group. Pravastatin group also had lower incidence of ventricular arrhythmias compared with control group (26 vs. 63%, P=0.021). The in-hospital cardiovascular event rates were also lower in statin group. Conclusion: Early use of pravastatin reduces the incidence of late potentials following thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction. Statin therapy also seems to be reducing the incidence of in-hospital ventricular arrhythmias. These beneficial effects of statins might be explained through prevention of new myocardial ischemic episodes due to early plaque stabilization or regulation of endothelial and platelet functions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Amer Coll Cardio