Hafiz-ur Rehman, Bilal Ahmad, Abdul Hadi, Iftikhar Ahmad.
Frequency of atrial fibrillation in patients presenting with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.
J Saidu Med Col Jan ;7(2):75-8.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation often complicates acute myocardial infarction with an incidence of 6 to 21%. Rapid and irregular ventricular rates during the arrhythmia may cause further impairment of the coronary circulation and left ventricular function. Atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction has serious adverse prognostic implications OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of atrial fibrillation in patients presenting with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a descriptive observational hospital based study, conducted in Coronary Care Unit, Saidu Teaching Hospital, Saidu Sharif Swat from May 2015 to April 2016. Patients admitted to CCU with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction were included in this study. These patients were closely monitored and any episode of Atrial fibrillation was recorded for maximum of 7 days during hospital stay. RESULTS: A total of 536 patients with acute myocardial infarction were included in this study, 298 (55.59%) were male and 238 (44.40%) were female. The age of the study population ranged from 34 years to 94 years, while the mean age of the patients was 60.47+9.79 years. Atrial Fibrillation was found in 49 (9.1%) patients, 20 (40.81%) were male, and 29 (59.18%) were female. Mean hospital stay of the patients was 2 ± 1.8 days. 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.

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