Cardiac rupture following myocardial infarction.

The 38 months incidence of cardiac rupture in a coronary care unit was found to be 10/460 or 2.1%. The patients at high risk were elderly people with a first transmural infarct, digitalized, experiencing recurring pain without a pericardial friction rub. 7/10 heart ruptures occurred within 36 hours after the first symptoms of infarction. Decreasing left ventricular work may be an effective method for preventing rupture of infarcted myocardium.