Turnover of plasma glucose and free fatty acids in patients on the first day after myocardial infarction.

1. The turnover of plasma glucose and free fatty acids was measured in ten patients within 24 h of the onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction and in two with symptoms of acute myocardial ischaemia. The measurements were repeated in seven of the patients 12-40 weeks after the acute episode. 2. Both for the patients with acute myocardial infarction alone and for all the individuals studied the turnover of glucose increased with plasma glucose concentration but was not related to the turnover of free fatty acids or the plasma concentrations of free fatty acids, insulin or total catecholamines. There was no obvious difference in the nature of the glucose turnover-concentration relationship between the patients with acute myocardial infarction, with acute myocardial ischaemia and on re-examination. 3. For all the individuals studied the turnover of free fatty acids increased with the concentration of these but was not related to the turnover of glucose or the plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin or total catecholamines. There was no obvious difference in the nature of the free fatty acids turnover-concentration relaionship between the patients with acute myocardial infarction, with acute myocardial ischaemia and on re-examination.