RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular diseases are associated with the ischemia/reperfusion phenomena and therefore to the oxidation/antioxidation balance. The aim of this study was to determine malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, glutathione, ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acid in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease. PATIENTS AND METHOD: 32 male patients, with chronic ischemic heart disease, between 40 and 60 years of age were studied. These individuals were divided in two groups: 16 with hypertension and 16 without hypertension. Both groups were compared with 31 healthy male subjects (control group). RESULTS: Significant differences (p < 0.001) was observed in malondialdehyde between no-hypertension ischemic group: 5.3 (1.5) microM and the hypertension ischemic group: 4.8 (1.3) microM in contrast with the healthy group: 2.2 (0.5) microM. Hypertension ischemic group showed significant greater reduced glutation levels: 286.1 (31.4) microg/ml than control group 262.0 (38.8) microg/ml; p < 0.03 and no-hypertension ischemic group: 256.4 (41.5) microg/ml; p < 0.02. No significant difference in the rest of the parameters for all study groups. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidation/antioxidation balance during chronic ischemic heart disease can be considered as a good metabolic ischemia indicator, that used in the monitoring and therapeutic evaluation could detect molecular changes that anticipate installation of tissue damage.