ULTRADIAN, CIRCADIAN AND INFRADIAN PERIODICITY OF SOME CARDIOVASCULAR EMERGENCIES

Several investigations indicate a circadian distribution in clinical onset of myocardial infarction1 and pulmonary thromboembolism.2 Our study examines periodic variations that occur in hypertensive crisis (paroxysmal elevation of blood pressure > 240/120 mm Hg associated with critical symptomatology), acute pulmonary edema, life-threatening supraventricular arrhythmias (atrial flutter and/or fibrillation with heart rate > 200 beats/ min and collapse), cerebral stroke and acute myocardial infarction. Our study deals with the following spectrum of frequencies: the circadian period (24 hours); the circaseptan period (7 days); and the circannual period (12 months). © 1990.