Other Noninvasive Investigations

The most commonly used techniques for imaging the effects of coronary artery disease (CAD) on the heart are myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) and echocardiography. Both tests have been validated during exercise and pharmacological stress and they are valuable for the diagnosis and aiding management decisions in patients with suspected or known CAD. In a proportion of these patients, repetitive episodes of myocardial ischaemia can lead to intracellular and extracellular changes so that myocytes, although viable, have insufficient energy to sustain contraction.