@article{3116748, title = "Hypertensive patients with false-positive Thallium-201 scintigraphic results in the infero-posterior wall are in high risk for coronary artery disease development", author = "Michaelides, Andreas P. and Tousoulis, Dimitrios and Fourlas, Christos and A. and Vyssoulis, Gregory P. and Andrikopoulos, George K. and and Aznaouridis, Konstantinos A. and Stefanadis, Christodoulos I.", journal = "International Journal of Cardiology", year = "2007", volume = "117", number = "2", pages = "178-183", publisher = "Elsevier Ireland Ltd", issn = "0167-5273", doi = "10.1016/j.ijcard.2006.06.011", keywords = "arterial hypertension; Thallium-201 scintigraphy; coronary artery disease; infero-posterior reversible perfusion defect", abstract = "Background: It has been previously postulated that Thallium-201 (Tl-201) scintigraphy is characterized by relatively low specificity in hypertensive patients. This study was undertaken to assess any possible influence of false-positive scintigraphic results on the prognosis of hypertensive patients. Methods: The study group comprised 179 consecutive hypertensive patients (128 men and 51 women), aged 50 7 years, who underwent exercise Tl-201 scintigraphy and coronary angiography (patients with normal scintigraphic results underwent coronary angiography due to persistent angina-like symptoms). All patients with normal coronary arteries underwent a second Tl-201 scintigraphy within 36 +/- 6 months. Patients with reversible ischemia in the second scintigraphy underwent also a second coronary angiography. Results: Coronary artery disease (CAD) was detected in 78 (44%) patients, while the rest 101 (56%) patients had normal coronary arteries. Abnormal scintigraphic results were revealed in 66 (85%) patients with CAD and in 38 (38%) patients without CAD. Twenty-two (58%) of the 38 hypertensive patients with false-positive scintigraphic results presented reversible ischemia of the infero-posterior wall of the left ventricle. Coronary artery disease was detected in 7 (32%) of these patients during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Hypertensive patients with normal coronary arteries and false-positive scintigraphic results usually present with reversible ischemia of the infero-posterior wall of the left ventricle. This group of patients seems to be at increased risk of developing CAD in a long-term follow-up period. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved." }