Excessive ventilation after acute myocardial infarction and its improvement in 4 months

Jpn Circ J. 2001 May;65(5):399-403. doi: 10.1253/jcj.65.399.

Abstract

The relationship between ventilation (VE) and CO2 output (VCO2) is fitted linearly. The steeper gradient implies excessive ventilation. Through an evaluation of the VE-VCO2 slopes, this study investigated whether patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have excessive ventilation and whether it improved in 4 months. The VE-VCO2 slopes were determined in exercise tests at 1 and 4 months in 131 patients with AMI. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the 1 month VE-VCO2 slope value: (i) normal (<30); (ii) intermediate (30-32); and (iii) excessive (>32). In the normal group (n=76), at 4 months, the slope decreased in 10, increased in 5 and remained unchanged in 61 patients; in the intermediate (n=31) group, 9, 2 and 20; and in the excessive (n=24) group, 15, 3 and 6, respectively, showing that the slope reduction was greater in the excessive group (p<0.01). The slope correlated with age and acute phase heart failure. The percent reduction of the slope did not correlate with these parameters. In conclusion, a substantial fraction of patients with AMI have excessive ventilation that improves in 4 months. The improvement is greater in patients with greater excessive ventilation but is not associated with an improvement in exercise capacity nor hemodynamics.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Carbon Dioxide / metabolism
  • Exercise
  • Female
  • Hemodynamics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / metabolism
  • Myocardial Infarction / rehabilitation*
  • Pulmonary Ventilation
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Carbon Dioxide