[Symptomless myocardial ischemia: feasibility of diagnostic mistakes]
Insights
ST segment depression on electrocardiograms (ECG) can occur in healthy individuals during exercise tests and 24-hour monitoring. These changes may be mistakenly identified as silent myocardial ischemia.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diagnostic Electrocardiography
Background:
- Coronary artery disease diagnosis relies on identifying ischemic changes.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities like ST segment depression are key indicators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the occurrence of ST segment depression in individuals with healthy coronary arteries.
- To evaluate the diagnostic implications of ST segment depression during exercise and ambulatory ECG monitoring.
Main Methods:
- The study included 9 male participants (41-52 years) presenting with non-exertional chest pain.
- Participants had no coronary artery stenosis, hypertension, or other cardiovascular risk factors.
- Treadmill exercise tests and 24-hour ECG monitoring were performed on all subjects.
Main Results:
- No chest pain was induced by the exercise test.
- ST segment depression was observed in one participant during the treadmill test.
- An additional participant showed ST segment depression during 24-hour ECG monitoring.
Conclusions:
- The findings confirm that "ischemic" ECG changes, specifically horizontal ST segment depression, can manifest in healthy individuals.
- These findings highlight the potential for misinterpreting such ECG changes as silent myocardial ischemia.
Aim:
To examine feasibility of ST segment depression on ECG in treadmill exercise test and 24-h ECG monitoring in subjects with coronarographically intact coronary arteries.
Materials And Methods:
9 males aged 41 to 52 years with chest pains unrelated to muscular load. They had neither stenosis of coronary arteries, nor arterial hypertension, valvular defects, disturbance of electrolyte metabolism. All of them have undergone treadmill exercise test and 24-h ECG monitoring.
Results:
The exercise test provoked chest pain in none of the examinees. ST segment was depressed in one patient. 24-h monitoring registered depression of ST segment in one more patient. The rest 7 patients showed no changes in ST segment either in exercise test or 24-h ECG monitoring.
Conclusion:
It is confirmed that typical ischemic ECG changes (horizontal depression of ST segment) in healthy persons can occur and may be mistaken for silent myocardial ischemia.
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