MI complications

• Facts:
  MCC of death in patients with an acute MI is a complex ventricular arrhythmia
  
  Acute ischemia creates heterogeneity of conduction in the myocardium
  
  Areas of partial conduction block form that predispose patient to reentrant arrhythmia ( MC is ventricular fibrillation )
• Notes:
  Acute pericarditis (first several days)
  Diffuse ST elevation, positional chest pain
  
  Papillary muscle rupture (3-7 days)
  Severe, acute MR and pulmonary edema
  
  Ventricular wall rupture (5 days)
  Acute, pericardial tamponade with pulseless electrical activity
  
  Interventricular wall rupture (5 days)
  Acute L to R shunt with R sided heart failure
  
  Ventricular aneurysm (days to months)
  Persistent ST elevations, MR, CHF symptoms
  
  Dressler's syndrome (weeks to months)
  Immune mediated pericarditis
  
• See Also:
  Acute coronary syndrome