What is considered a late complication of myocardial infarction?

A late complication of myocardial infarction refers to an issue that arises after the acute event of a heart attack has passed, typically manifesting days to weeks or even years later. Ventricular aneurysm is considered a late complication because it develops as a result of the myocardial infarction itself, where the damage to the heart muscle leads to a thinning and dilation of the ventricular wall. Over time, this area can become an aneurysm, which is a bulging area that can lead to further complications, including heart failure or arrhythmias.

In contrast, myocardial ischemia is typically an ongoing condition associated with inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle, which may occur during or shortly after a myocardial infarction but is not exclusively a late complication. Ventricular fibrillation is an acute electrical disturbance that often happens during the heart attack itself and is life-threatening if not immediately addressed. Cardiomyopathy can develop over time as a chronic consequence of heart failure or ischemia but is not specifically associated with the immediate aftermath of a myocardial infarction in the way that ventricular aneurysm is. Thus, ventricular aneurysm distinctly qualifies as a late complication occurring from the structural changes post-myocardial infarction.