• Background Little is known about the frequency or consequences of transient myocardial ischemia in patients admitted to a telemetry unit for treatment of angina.
• Objectives To compare the rate of transient myocardial ischemia in a group of patients with angina treated in a telemetry unit with the rate in a similar group treated in a coronary care unit and to determine if transient myocardial ischemia is associated with adverse in-hospital outcomes.
• Methods Continuous 12-lead electrocardiography was used to monitor changes in the ST segment in 186 patients in the coronary care unit (1994–1996) and 186 patients in the telemetry unit (1997–2000). Transient myocardial ischemia was defined as a change from baseline of 100 μV or more in the ST segment in 1 or more leads lasting 60 seconds or longer.
• Results The rate of transient myocardial ischemia was 15% for patients in the telemetry unit and 19% for patients in the coronary care unit. Regardless of hospital unit, patients with transient myocardial ischemia were more likely than those without this complication to experience death or acute myocardial infarction after hospital admission. Most patients did not experience signs or symptoms during transient myocardial ischemia: 71% of patients in the telemetry unit versus 58% of patients in the coronary care unit (P = .28).
• Conclusions Transient myocardial ischemia is common among patients with angina treated in a telemetry unit. ST-segment monitoring may be useful for detecting patients with ischemia who may benefit from more aggressive therapies aimed at abolishing ongoing ischemia.
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