Abstract
Although mortality in the first month after myocardial infarction is only 8% for patients who have non-Q-wave infarction, these patients are highly vulnerable to reinfarction and death throughout most of the first year. Repeated episodes of non-Q-wave infarction result in a cumulative amount of injury so that two years after the initial episode, survival rates of these patients are similar to those of patients with Q-wave infarction. Prophylactic diltiazem (Cardizem) given 24 to 48 hours after admission reduced the incidence of early reinfarction and severe angina in patients who had non-Q-wave infarction.