[Prevention of delayed cardiogenic shock in 850 patients with myocardial infarction (author's transl)].

In 850 patients with acute myocardial infarction, cardiac output has been checked daily with acid-base-balance determinations, respiratory alcalosis being a sign of decreased cardiac output. In 84 patients without spontaneous increase of low cardiac output, treatment with cardiac glycosides has been started with the aim to prevent delayed cardiogenic shock: only 1 patient died in delayed cardiogenic shock and 3 patients in delayed heart failure. In the remaining 766 patients, only 1 patient died in delayed heart failure. With this successful prevention, the overall hospital lethality has dropped to 11.06% as compared with 21.70% in 3272 comparable patients in the literature.