A Study to Evaluate the Role of Hypokalemia in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients: A Prospective Hospital Based Study

Background: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a common comorbidity following acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and CHF complicating AMI has an unfavourable outcome. Several studies have demonstrated a relationship between low serum potassium levels and the risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Hence; under the light of above obtained results, we planned the present study to assess the role of hypokalemia in AMI patients. Subjects and Methods: A total of 38 AMI patients and 38 healthy controls were included in the present study. Only patients within the age group of 20 years to 60 years were included. Detailed demographic and clinical data of all the subjects was obtained. Fresh blood samples were obtained from all the subjects and were sent to the laboratory for assessment. Serum potassium levels were analyzed by using an auto-analyzer. Results: Mean serum potassium levels among the subjects of the AMI group was found to be 85.6 mmol/L, which was significantly lower than that of mean serum potassium levels of the subjects of the control group, which was found to be 93.4 mmol/L. 20 subjects of the AMI group had hypokalemia. Therefore, prevalence of hypokalemia among the subjects of the AMI group was 52.6%. Conclusion: AMI patients are significantly associated with hypokalemia, thereby, indicating its role in the pathogenesis of the disease.