Character and causes of transient myocardial ischemia during daily life. Implications for treatment of patients with coronary disease.

Measures of the severity of angina pectoris, coronary anatomy, and left ventricular function are widely used to assess prognosis and determine management in patients with ischemic heart disease. However, recent evidence suggests that myocardial ischemia, with or without angina, is also a reliable prognostic sign. Studies using ambulatory ST-segment monitoring of patients with chronic stable angina out of the hospital have shown that the majority of episodes of transient myocardial ischemia are silent and surprisingly prolonged. Most episodes occur without the increase in heart rate noted during physical exertion. Characteristic abnormalities of regional myocardial perfusion have been observed using positron tomography during both painful and painless episodes of ischemia. Among these abnormalities is an absolute reduction in the perfusion to the poststenotic ischemic segment of myocardium. Episodes of ischemia can be induced in the hospital by a number of ordinary daily activities, including mental stress, cold, and cigarette smoking, and they often resemble episodes recorded from patients out of the hospital. These observations suggest that both an increased myocardial demand and a reduction in coronary blood flow may be important in the genesis of ischemia out of the hospital. If prospective studies confirm that myocardial ischemia is damaging, even in the absence of angina, investigation and treatment policies may need to be reevaluated. Results of ongoing clinical studies will show whether control of the total ischemic burden can prevent myocardial damage and improve the prognosis.