title: Incidence, characteristics and coronariographic significance of myocardial ischemia during daily life in patients with angina pectoris.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence, characteristics and angiographic significance of myocardial ischemia detected on Holter monitoring in a group of patients with stable angina pectoris.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Cardiology of a Central Terciary Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 24 patients (pts) with stable angina pectoris and proven coronary artery disease (11 pts with left main or three vessel disease; 13 pts with one or two vessel disease), a 24 hour Holter monitoring was performed. Two groups of ischemic episodes were considered: Group I with 65 ischemic episodes detected in pts with left main or three vessel disease and group II constituted by 17 ischemic episodes detected in pts with one or two vessel disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of myocardial ischemia was 91% in pts with left main or three vessel disease and 46% in pts with one or two vessel disease. Statistically significant differences were seen between group I and II concerning the mean heart rate variation from two minutes before onset of ST-segment depression to its onset (3.5 bpm vs 7.4 bpm; p less than 0.05) and from the onset of ST-segment depression to its maximal depression (6.5 bpm vs 15 bpm; p less than 0.000001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of myocardial ischemia and some of its characteristics on Holter monitoring seem to have a relation with the severity of coronary artery disease in patients with stable angina pectoris.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Santa Marta Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catarino
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quininha
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Prates
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gracias
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index