[Symptomatic and asymptomatic myocardial ischemia before and after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty]

The aim of the present study was to prove the effect of successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) on the occurrence of symptomatic and silent myocardial ischemia recorded during 24-h ECG, considering the number of diseased coronary arteries, a history of myocardial infarction, and the interval between myocardial infarction and PTCA. Before PTCA, 28 of 56 patients (50%) had ischemic ST-segment alterations, 3-8 days thereafter, there were only 13 patients (23%) with signs of myocardial ischemia (p < 0.01). The number of episodes of ischemia (IE) was reduced 44% (p < 0.05), their duration (ID) 51% (p < 0.01). In symptomatic patients, the decrease was 67% (p < 0.05) and 83% (p < 0.05), in patients with silent myocardial ischemia 20% (n.s.) and 29% (n.s.). Patients with one-vessel disease exhibited a 73% reduction of IE (p < 0.01) and a 85% reduction of ID (p < 0.01). In patients with two-vessel disease, the decrease was 47% (p < 0.05) and 26% (p < 0.05), whereas in those with three-vessel disease, there was no significant change. Patients without stenosis (< 50%) after PTCA had--irrespective of primary findings--a decrease of IE of 78% (p < 0.05) and of ID of 85% (p < 0.05), while patients with persisting coronary artery stenosis exhibited no significant decrease (20% and 35%, n.s.). In patients without history of myocardial infarction, the reduction of IE was 79% (p < 0.01) and that of ID 85% (p < 0.05); in patients with recent myocardial infarction (< 3 months) the decrease was 59% (p < 0.05) and 70% (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)