Fixed defect! No history of MI

[tootie56]

My 57 year old husband had an EKG for pre op for surgery of the knee.  He failed the EKG and had "T abnormalities".  The cardiologist wanted him to have an echo and a Thallium stress test, with adenosine since he can't run with his knee. The echo turned out fine and the stress test had good contractility but showed a "small fixed defect".  I did not get to speak to the doctor and I don't know what this means.  I looked it up on the internet and read it could be from an old MI.  My husband has no history of MI and no hx of heart disease.  He is on Lipitor and his cholesterol is great now.  Also he has psoriatic arthritis and since that is an autoimmune disease could that be part of the problem at all?  Can you please explain all of this to us?
Thank you
Tootie56

[Wisconsin2007]

MI = myocardial infarction = heart attack

@tootie56 - There are many benign reasons for t-wave abnormalities, and some not-so-benign.  I wouldn't be able to tell you what your doctor meant by "fixed defect," but it is possible that your husband had a previous heart attack and did not know it.  It's not entirely uncommon for someone in their late 50's or 60's to get a medical work-up and discover they had one or more minor heart attacks.  This site is littered with similar stories.  That he's on Lipitor tells me that he may have been at risk for a heart attack.  

I would certainly ask to speak with the cardiologist to get things cleared up.

[Jerry_NJ]

Sorry I don't know what an "MI" is... that said the primary use of nuclear (thallium) stress tests is to check the artery blood flow to heart muscles.  If there is any problem with the blood flow an artery Stent or Bypass surgery may be indicated.  To my knowledge neither of these interventions are taken until the blockage is confirmed with a heart catheter examination.  I have failed a nuclear stress test and had a follow up catheter exam, no blockage was found. It seems the stress test gives some false "positives", better than have it miss a problem I think.