STUDY OF SERUM SODIUM AND POTASSIUM DISTURBANCES IN PATIENTS OF ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

Background: The incidence of myocardial infarction  is increasing specially in developing countries. Different electrolytes such as potassium and sodium play an important role in the cell metabolism, electrical conduction and membrane excitability. Abnormalities of these electrolytes due to different causes can lead to a significant cardiac life threatening events.

Objective :To ascertain the electrolytes status in patients of acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at the time of hospitalization and to study the relationship between hyponatremia and hypokalemia with ventricular arrhythmia and survival status of the patient on day seven of the admission.

Methods: Fifty patients of acute myocardial infarction were interrogated for history of presenting illness, examined for vitals, systemic examination and investigated by collection of blood sample and ECG.

Conclusion: There was increased mortality in patients with hyponatremia, but p value was not statistically significant (p value 0.15). There was definite correlation between hypokalemia and ventricular arrhythmias and there was increased tendency towards developing ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hypokalemia.( p value 0.009).