[Painless myocardial ischemia in patients with iron deficiency anemia]

Resting and bicycle ergometric ECGs were examined in 159 patients with iron deficiency anemia, including 100 treated with iron-containing drugs. ST segment depression in the patients undergoing exercise was regarded as a sign of silent myocardial ischemia which is common in anemic patients, its detection rate increases as the disease progresses. In patients with iron deficiency anemia, silent myocardial ischemia results in a substantial decrease of threshold intensity, has a negative effect on cardiac output both at rest and during exercise, and significantly slows down the recovery of cardiac performance during therapy. This should be borne in mind while solving problems in medial labour examinations and making rehabilitative measures in patients with the above abnormality.