Symptomatic myocardial ischemia and everyday life: Implications for clinical use of interactive monitoring

In coronary heart disease (CHD), pathological myocardial ischemic changes do not always occur with the symptom of heart pain. Methodological problems make it difficult to examine the factors that influence silent and symptomatic myocardial ischemia in everyday life. This study uses a computer-assisted monitoring system with an interactive Holter EGG, an actometer, and an electronic diary. Self report measurements indicate that symptomatic patients tend toward increased neuroticism, whereas asymptomatic patients engage in beneficial and active coping skills more frequently. The results of the monitoring study demonstrate the same degree of ischemia in silent and symptomatic episodes. However, these episodes show differences in certain psychological context variables. Symptomatic episodes are linked to high subjective strain and severe tension. Because angina pectoris is not a reliable warning signal of myocardial ischemia, the use of the interactive monitoring system is recommended for educating CHD patients on how to cope with excessive strain in everyday life. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.