[Defects in autonomic regulation in myocardial ischemia]

To evaluate cerebral and peripheral mechanisms of autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system, their role in development of myocardial ischemia in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with coronary atherosclerosis and X syndrome.

Psychometric testing, questionnaires, cardiovascular tests (by D. Y. Ewing), automatic spectral analysis of cardiac rhythm variability were used in investigation of psychovegetative regulation in 36 patients and 19 healthy subjects. Group 1 consisted of 26 CHD patients with coronary atherosclerosis and stable angina class I-II. Group 2 consisted of 10 patients with symptoms of myocardial ischemia and coronarographically intact coronary arteries.

Patients of both groups demonstrated initial activation of cerebral sympathicoadrenal mechanisms manifesting with high anxiety, depression, vegetative defects in regulation of both initial autonomic tone and autonomic support of the orthostatic test. CHD patients with coronary atherosclerosis were characterized by persistent activation of cerebral sympathicoadrenal mechanisms and resistance of homeostatic baroreflex sympathetic systems. Vagal insufficiency was moderate and arose only at rest. In X syndrome patients with the same initial cerebral activation of the sympathicoadrenal mechanisms had dystonic trend in hemodynamic autonomic parameters: higher systolic blood pressure in subnormal heart rate, lability of baroreflex and cerebral mechanisms under the orthostatic test. The above features of psychovegetative relations make such patients very close to those with psychovegetative syndrome.

CHD patients with coronary atherosclerosis and patients with X syndrome differ by mechanisms of maladaptation of autonomic regulation.