Bortner type A scores and eight basic emotions for survivors of ventricular fibrillation and left ventricular failure during acute myocardial infarction.

We examined Bortner scores for behavioral patterns and eight basic emotional dimensions named by Plutchik for patients with acute myocardial infarction who survived ventricular fibrillation and left ventricular failure. There were 70 patients, 48 men and 22 women ages 26 to 69 yr. (M = 54, SD = 8), admitted to the coronary care unit within 24 hours of the onset of a long-lasting chest pain. Six patients survived an episode of ventricular fibrillation that occurred within 24 to 48 hours after their admission. 15 patients developed left ventricular failure and were in Killip Classes II and III. Patients with acute myocardial infarction and left ventricular failure had mean Bortner scores significantly lower than others with acute myocardial infarction and were classed as Type B behavior. There was no difference in Bortner scores between patients with ventricular fibrillation and others with acute myocardial infarction. Patients with acute myocardial infarction and left ventricular failure scored significantly higher on Timid than others with acute myocardial infarction. Patients with acute myocardial infarction and ventricular fibrillation scored significantly lower on Depressed and higher on Distrust than other patients with acute myocardial infarction. Our findings suggest that patients with ventricular fibrillation and low scores on Depressed have good hospital prognosis. They are more critical and tend to reject people and ideas more than patients with acute myocardial infarction. This study suggests that the way in which patients with acute myocardial infarction react to their infarction, in terms of eight basic emotions and test patterns, is dependent on the complications of myocardial infarction.