Incidence of ventricular arrhythmias, brady-arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in Sudanese Patients with acute Myocardial Infarction

Ventricular arrhythmias (VAS), Including ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF) and Brady-arrhythmias, are life-threatening complications of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Objective: To study the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias, brady-arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) in Sudanese patients with acute MI. Methodology: This is a prospective cross sectional, hospital based study, conducted at Elshaab Teaching Hospital Khartoum Sudan. One Hundred Sudanese patients with acute MI were enrolled in the study in the period between August 2006 and December 2006. A questionnaire was constructed in sections to address the different aspect of the study group. ECG Monitor was used to confirm the complication in every patient. Result:Of the study group forty seven (47%) patients were 55-65 years old, twenty eight (28%) were more than 65 years old and twenty five (25%) were less than 55 years old. Sixty nine (69%) were males. Twenty patients (20%) developed complications [ventricular arrhythmias (VAS), Brady-arrhythmias and SCD]. Conclusion: The incidence of ventricular arrhythmias, brady-arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death following acute myocardial infarction were significantly high in Sudanese patients. The increased incidence is even in all age groups. DM, smoking and past history of IHD are the commonest associated risk factors. Thrombolysis is under used and had no significant impact. Keywords: thrombolysis, fibrillation, ischemia, Dyslipidaemia Sudan Journal of Medical Science Vol. 3 (4) 2008: pp. 325-33