Silent myocardial ischemia in glaucoma and cataract patients.
BACKGROUND
Glaucoma and cataract are multifactorial diseases. They have been described to be associated with cardiovascular risk factors.


METHODS
Twenty-four-hour ECG monitoring was done in 22 normal-tension glaucoma patients, 27 open-angle glaucoma patients, 25 cataract patients, and 20 normal controls. The frequency of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) as well as that of ventricular extrasystoles (VES) was evaluated.


RESULTS
At least one episode of significant asymptomatic ST-T segment depression occurred in 45% of the normal-tension glaucomas, in 25.9% of open-angle glaucomas, in 12% of cataract patients, and in 5% of normal controls. The frequency of VES was not significantly different among the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Glaucoma, especially normal-tension glaucoma, is significantly associated with the occurrence of episodic asymptomatic myocardial ischemias. Cataract patients, however, had only a slightly, statistically not significantly increased frequency of both SMI and VES compared with normals.
University Eye Clinic, Basel, Switzerland.
E
E
Waldmann
P
P
Gasser
B
B
Dubler
C
C
Huber
J
J
Flammer
D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology