FREQUENCY OF SILENT ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE IN TYPE 2 DIABETIC PATIENTS

Objectives To determine the frequency of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) in type 2 diabetic patients. Patients and Methods This study was conducted in Medical units of Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar from February 2009 to August 2009. A total of 100 patients who had type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) for 5 years or more, were included in the study. All patients with type 1 DM, symptomatic ischemic heart disease, previous myocardial or valvular heart disease were excluded from the study. Full blood count and fasting blood glucose were performed in all patients. The main tools for the diagnosis were electrocardiogram, exercise tolerance test (ETT) and echocardiography. Patients having normal electrocardiogram and exercise tolerance test were labeled as having no silent ischemic heart disease. Those patients who turned out to have silent ischemic heart disease were subjected to echocardiography. Results Out of 100 patients, 50 were male and 50 female. Forty-four out of 100 (44%) had silent myocardial ischemia. Among these 44 patients, 25 were male and 19 female (1.3:1). The majority of patients were in the age group of 50-59. Conclusion All patients with type 2 diabetes of more than 5 years duration should be screened with ETT for silent myocardial ischemia.