A technical approach for optimizing surveillance of patients with unstablecoronary syndromes: Continuous vectorcardiography ischemic monitoring

Continuous vectorcardiography ischemic monitoring (VCG) is a noninvasive te chnique which has contributed much to our understanding of the dynamics of acute coronary syndromes. For risk assessment of patients with unstable ang ina pectoris or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction, VCG shows important progn ostic power which is further enhanced by its combination with the measureme nt of highly sensitive and specific biochemical markers of myocardial injur y. VCG surveillance after revascularization therapy of Q-wave myocardial in farction is widely accepted because of its potential of assessing vessel pa tency, of estimating infarct size, and of revealing residual myocardial isc hemia. Valuable prognostic information is available in real time with VCG, and treatment strategies may be based upon more reliable grounds. In this s urvey, the VCG technique is presented together with the most frequently use d vectorcardiographic variables. Further, the use of the method for risk st ratification of patients with unstable coronary syndromes is also described . Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.