The prediction of a potentially fatal cardiac event in the next 2 to 24 hours and the prediction of a myocardial infarction related death or sudden death

Eleven predictive markers have been developed based on the empirical examination of the R-R intervals (RR) of Holter files from patients who were normal, post-MI (myocardial infarction), and who had expired due to sudden death (SD). Combinations of these markers predict the onset of a potentially fatal cardiac event such as an MI-related death or SD in the next 2 to 24 hours. A potentially lethal variability can be either a decreased or an increased variability. In a retrospective learning study of 83 Holter files comprising 39 patients who expired of an MI-related death or SD, and 44 post-MI patients, the results were 3% false-negative and 7% false-positive. In a retrospective test study of 156 Holter files comprising 61 MI-related death or SD patients and 95 post-MI patients, the results were 7% false-negative and 13% false-positive. There appears to be a direct relationship between decreased variability and MI-related death, and increased variability and SD