Long-term follow-up of patients with silent ischemia during exercise radionuclide angiography

Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.

A retrospective 5 year follow-up study was performed in 140 patients with unequivocal ischemia during exercise radionuclide angiography (greater than or equal to 10% decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction or greater than or equal to 5% decrease in ejection fraction together with a distinct regional wall motion abnormality). In 84 patients (60%), ischemia during radionuclide angiography was silent (silent ischemia group), whereas 56 patients experienced angina during the test (symptomatic group). Work load and antianginal medication were similar in both groups. Critical cardiac events (unstable angina, myocardial infarction, cardiac death) occurred in 27% of patients in the silent ischemia group and 16% of those in the symptomatic group (p = NS); however, myocardial infarction or death was more frequent in patients with silent ischemia (22% versus 9%; p less than 0.05). If there was additional exercise-induced ST segment depression, the rate of critical events was further increased (p less than 0.05). The difference in critical cardiac events seemed to be influenced by the higher incidence of revascularization procedures in symptomatic patients, whereas medical therapy had no similar effect. Thus, these findings suggest that patients with documented severe ischemia should undergo left heart catheterization and revascularization irrespective of symptoms to improve their prognosis.

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