Painless myocardial ischemia and atherosclerous valvulopathies--their great statistical prevalence.

3384 patients over 40 years old referred to our Cardiovascular Laboratory for overt cardiovascular complaints were examined by usual non-invasive investigations. Painless myocardial ischemia (PMI) prevalence was 17.49% and degenerative aortic and mitral valvulopathies incidence was 15.60%. PMI predominate in women especially in the group 50-59 years of age in which painful forms of ischemic heart disease have the highest prevalence in men. Although more affected by painless myocardial ischemia, women show a more favourable outcome than men. Ischemic heart disease was frequently associated with isolated mitral regurgitation. In the elderly patients mitral valvulopathy was associated with calcific aortic stenosis. No significant difference was noted between mitral and aortic valvulopathies prevalence.