Effects of Nitroglycerin on Myocardial Excursions and Velocities in the Early Hours of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

The effects of sublingual nitroglycerin on septal and left ventricular wall motion were determined by echocardiography in the early hours of acute myocar dial infarction (MI) in 20 patients admitted via a mobile coronary care unit. Left ventricular and septal echoes were obtained in 11 patients with acute anterior MI and in 9 with acute inferior MI before and after administration of 500 μg sublingual nitroglycerin. In the group with acute anterior MI, nitroglyce rin did not significantly affect the B-C excursion, posterior wall excursion, and mean posterior wall velocity. Nitroglycerin significantly increased (P < 0.01), however, the systolic septal excursion, systolic septal velocity, diastolic septal excursion, and diastolic septal velocity. In the group with acute inferior MI, nitroglycerin significantly increased the B-C excursion (P < 0.01); posterior wall excursion (P < 0.01); mean posterior wall velocity (P < 0.01); systolic septal excursion (P < 0.01); diastolic septal excursion (P < 0.05), and diastolic septal velocity (P = 0.01) but did not affect the systolic septal velocity. All measure ments were obtained by use of a method of labeling and describing specific points of the wall motion that has been described recently.