[Spontaneous disappearance of myocardial ischemia during continuous physical stress]

Five coronary patients showing transitory ST rise during a spontaneous anginal attack were investigated. Myocardial ischemia had an uncommon pattern of response to physical stress in all cases; several episodes of myocardial ischemia developed during one continuous effort, which were not accompanied with pain and disappeared spontaneously as stress continued. The pattern and depth of ECG changes were similar to those of ischemic episodes associated with pain. It is suggested that transitory stress-related functional constriction of coronary arteries may underline this variety of myocardial ischemia.