Nomenclature and criteria for diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. Report of the Joint International Society and Federation of Cardiology/World Health Organization Task Force on standardization of clinical nomenclature

Abstract

Long ago, epidemiologists realized the necessity of standardizing terminology and diagnostic criteria. Today, this need should also be recognized by clinicians. New, expensive medical and surgical methods of treatment are introduced every day, and it is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of these methods reliably and objectively. However, comparison of results is only possible if the object of the evaluation has been defined in a standard manner. The need for agreement on nomenclature is particularly urgent in the field of ischemic heart disease (IHD) because extraordinary advances have been achieved by new methods of diagnosis and treatment which are a matter of worldwide interest and discussion. The task of this group is to propose an internationally acceptable nomenclature of IHD and to define the underlying concepts in order to promote comparability of various studies. Definitions are based on clinical observations, including ECG and enzyme changes, but exclude coronary arteriography.