Reversible Late Potentials Due to Ischemia

The role of ischemia in the development of reversible late potentials was assessed in 19 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Signal‐averaged electrocardiograms were performed before angioplasty, during ischemia caused by balloon inflation and after angioplasty. Five of 19 patients developed late potentials that reverted to normal after angioplasty. Age, sex, ejection fraction, left ventricular end diastolic pressure, vessels involved, and extent of myocardium in jeopardy did not predict the development of late potentials. Patients with a prior history of myocardial infarction were more likely to develop late potentials. Therefore, patients with prior myocardial infarction appear more likely to develop the substrate for reentrant ventricular tachycardia during periods of ischemia.