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Ninety-five patients diagnosed as having perimyocarditis were followed up after a median follow-up time of 66 months. Ninety patients were alive and one patient had died a noncardiac death. Forty-one patients (44%) had leakage of markers of myocardial damage (CKMB or CK) in the acute stage. Seventy-nine patients (83%) were reached for a telephone interview. Sixty patients were in class I, 16 patients were in class II and two patients were in NYHA class III. There was no relation between leakage of myocardial markers and functional class. We conclude that uncomplicated perimyocarditis is a benign disease with excellent prognosis for longterm survival. Leakage of myocardial markers is common, but does not seem to be associated with worse prognosis.

Early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction is important to enable myocardial injury to be limited by means of various treatments. Monitoring of vessel patency with vector cardiography or continuous 12-lead ECG recording is a form of surveillance that has been widely accepted in Sweden. In post-reperfusion therapy monitoring, there is approximately 80 per cent agreement between monitoring ST-segment changes and acute coronary cardiography. For risk stratification of patients with unstable angina or non-Q-wave infarction, ST-segment monitoring manifests great predictive power which is further enhanced by its combination with the measurement of highly specific markers of myocardial injury. Computerised techniques for continuous monitoring of multiple ECG leads have contributed much to our understanding of the dynamics of acute coronary heart disease. Valuable prognostic information is available in real time, early identification of myocardial injury is possible, and treatment strategies can be based upon more reliable grounds.