Stress hyperglycemia in acute myocardial infarction.

Stress hyperglycemia represents increased blood glucose level that is result of activation of neurohormonal processes in organism exposed to stress. The aim of the paper is to analyze literature data on prognostic implications of admission hyperglycaemia in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Retrospective study included 543 patients with AMI hospitalised in Department for cardiovascular diseases in Niš, in period 2000-2005. The most logical explanation for connection of stress hyperglycemia and mortality is probably this: larger infarctions result in more pronounced sympathetic nervous system activation and catecholamine secretion. That leads to higher glycemia, on one hand, and higher mortality, on the other. In conclusion, both the medical literature and our own data suggest the quoad vitam prognostic value of hyperglycemia in AMI. Age, heart rate on admission and infarct size statistically significantly correlated with hyperglycemia and a trend for statistically significance was found for higher blood glucose values in women.