The relationship of arrhythmias to walking activity during mobilization after myocardial infarction.

The extent to which everyday walking activity is responsible for ventricular arrhythmias in the first 6 weeks after suspected myocardial infarction has been studied by simultaneous 24-hour recordings of electrocardiogram and walking activity. Forty-eight recordings from 46 patients were identified which contained couplets, ventricular tachycardia or R-on-T extrasystoles. In 24 recordings (50%) all the arrhythmias occurred whilst the patient was at rest and in a further four recordings there were fewer arrhythmias during activity than would have been expected by chance. Nineteen recordings (40%) contained arrhythmias which may have been induced by activity but in only three of these was the relationship definite. Clear evidence of arrhythmias precipitated by walking was found in only a minority of patients mobilizing after suspected myocardial infarction.