Does pain relief with spinal cord stimulation for angina conceal myocardial infarction?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the possibility that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) used for pain relief can conceal acute myocardial infarction (AMI).


METHODS
Prospective evaluation of patients treated with SCS.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
50 patients with coronary artery disease and severe, otherwise intractable angina treated with SCS for 1-57 months.


METHODS
Necropsy findings, symptoms, serum enzyme concentrations, electrocardiographic changes.


RESULTS
Ten patients were considered to have had AMI. In nine of these SCS did not conceal precordial pain and in one patient no information about precordial pain could be obtained.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no evidence that SCS concealed acute myocardial infarction.
Andersen
C
C
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
Hole
P
P
Oxhøj
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord