J Korean Neurol Assoc.  1996 Mar;14(1):34-41.

A Study of Usefulness of Myocardial Perfusion SPECT for Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease

• Kim DC
• Kim IG
• Kim YS
• Cho KH
• Kim SJ

Abstract

It is well known that the mortality rate is very high in the patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD). The most common cause of death in the ischemic CVD patients is myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic significance of myocardial perfusion SPECT for coronary artery disease (CAD) in ischemic CVD. We studied in 64 patients with transient ischemic attack and ischemic stroke diagnosed by means of the clinical history and brain CT and MRI. Electrocardiography, myocardial perfusion SPECT and coronary angiography were performed. We checked hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol drinking and hyperlipidemia as the risk factors in ischemic CVD and CAD. The myocardial perfusion SPECT was abnormal in 37 out of 64 patients(57.8%) with ischemic CVD. There was a increasing tendency in the prevalence of myocardial perfusion abnormality in the elderly patients (more than 65 years old). The incidence of abnormal myocardial perfusion SPECT was not significantly different among TIA, lacunar infarction, minor infarction and major infarction. The long standing hypertension and hyperlipidemia were siginificant risk factors in the ischemic CVD and CAD as having the abnormal myocardial perfusion SPECT (p<0.05). There were not significantly different between resting EKG and myocardial perfusion SPECT results. Coronary artery stenosis was identified in 5 out of 7 patients receiving coronary arteriography. The results suggested that ischemic stroke is frequently associated with coronary artery disease. So myocardial perfusion SPECT as an active investigation for CAD in Ischemic CVD should be considered in order to optimal management.

MeSH Terms

Aged
Alcohol Drinking
Angiography
Brain
Cause of Death
Coronary Angiography
Coronary Artery Disease*
Coronary Stenosis
Coronary Vessels*
Diagnosis*
Electrocardiography
Humans
Hyperlipidemias
Hypertension
Incidence
Infarction
Ischemic Attack, Transient
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Mortality
Myocardial Infarction
Perfusion*
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Smoke
Smoking
Stroke
Stroke, Lacunar
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*
Smoke