Diurnal Pattern of Plasma 11‐hydroxycorticosteroids in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Plasma levels of 11‐hydroxycorticosteroids (11‐OH‐CS) over a 24‐hour period after admission were studied in 19 patients with acute myocardial infarction, divided into two groups. Controls for this study consisted of 10 ambulatory patients without any endocrine diseases. The normal diurnal variation in plasma 11‐OH‐CS was lacking in most of the patients—the night levels were nearly the same as the morning levels and were higher than normal. The possible mechanisms causing the abolition of variation in plasma 11‐OH‐CS concentration are discussed. The present findings are of importance when discussing the adrenocortical stimulation during the early phase of myocardial infarction, and might be related to the absence of diurnal rhythm of water and electrolyte excretion in heart failure.