Association between ventricular ectopic activity and myocardial ischemia in patients with chronic stable angina

ABSTRACT

The association between transient myocardial ischemic episodes and ventricular arrhythmias during daily activities was investigated in ambulatory patients with stable angina. 45 patients with proven coronary artery disease, ischemic episodes on Holter monitoring and positive treadmill test for ischemia, but without ventricular arrhythmias, were studied. A total of 226 ischemic episodes were recorded during 1080 hours of 24-hour Holter monitoring. There was no association between ischemic ST depression and the frequency of ventricular arrhythmias during ambulatory Holter monitoring. Even patients with frequent [>3 episodes] and deep [>1.5 mm] or prolonged [>20 minutes] ST depression had no increased ventricular arrhythmias. Thus, transient myocardial ischemia in patients with stable chronic angina are not associated with ventricular arrhythmias during daily activities