Acute Myocardial Infarction

Data obtained in the course of a nationwide study of patients with first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) demonstrated substantially higher hospital mortality among patients with leukocytosis or elevated blood glucose levels, or both. It is suggested that the combination of these two measurements could be used as a handy diagnostic indicator in the evaluation of some AMI patients and as a criterion for the patients' immediate disposition to a coronary care unit, rather than to a general ward. (JAMA233:266-267, 1975)