Silent myocardial ischemia during mastication.

Ambulatory outpatient monitoring of patients with angina suggests a different view of myocardial ischemia than is conventionally obtained from in-hospital tests. Multiple episodes of ST segment depression occur, and the majority of these disturbances are not associated with symptoms. Recently, studies of regional myocardial perfusion using the technique of positron emission tomography with rubidium 82 have confirmed the ischemic nature of these silent ST changes. Furthermore, activities of everyday life such as mental stress or cold exposure seem to provoke both symptomatic and asymptomatic ischemia, as judged by ST depression and reduced cation uptake. This report presents an unusual case of silent myocardial ischemia observed during the chewing of food.