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Comparative effects of candesartan and enalapril on augmented vasoconstrictive responses to endothelin-1 in coronary vessels of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of angiotensin type-1 receptor blockade (ARB) on augmented vasoconstrictive response to endothelin-1 (ET-1) in coronary vessels of hypertensive hearts with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, candesartan cilexetil (CAN) or enalapril was administered for 3 weeks in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: We used SHR (9 to 12 weeks old, n = 18) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats (n = 6). Systolic blood pressure was measured once a week. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were divided into three groups. Enalapril malate (10 mg/day) or CAN (10 mg/day) was administered orally in each of six SHR in each group receiving treatment for 3 weeks. The control group (n = 6) received no treatment. At the end of this experiment, the hearts were isolated. Isolated hearts mounted on a Langendorff apparatus after weighing were then perfused with modified Krebs-Henseleit buffer at constant pressure (75 mm Hg). The coronary perfusion pressure and coronary flow were measured during perfusion of isolated hearts. Coronary vascular resistance (CVR; mm Hg/mL/min/100 g) was calculated. RESULTS: The ET-1 elicited increases in CVR dose-dependently in both normotensive and hypertensive rat hearts. However, the responses were significantly greater in SHR than in WKY rat. Chronic treatment with enalapril or candesartan inhibited the development of hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy equally in SHR. Augmented vasoconstrictive responses to ET-1 were significantly reduced in treated SHR. There was no difference in these effects between enalapril and candesartan. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that both ACE inhibitors and ARB can equally inhibit augmented coronary vascular response to ET-1 in hypertensive hearts.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Recanalization of chronic arterial occlusions: low-speed rotational angioplasty. 5 years experience in peripheral and coronary vessels.

Chronic complete occlusions still represent the major technical limitation of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, both in peripheral and coronary vessels. The clinical use of low-speed rotational angioplasty started in 1986 for the peripheral and in 1987 for the coronary arteries, and has already become part of the clinical routine in several centres. Up to now more than 350 patients with peripheral and 250 patients with coronary occlusions have been treated in Frankfurt; a multicentre questionnaire already contains information about 1,252 patients with peripheral vessel obstructions. In peripheral occlusions the acute success rate was more than 80% if low speed rotational angioplasty was used as the first attempt; after failure of conventional techniques still more than 60% of the vessels could be recanalized successfully. In addition to occlusions of the arteries of the lower limb, indications now may include the iliac artery and the subclavian artery. In each of the patients with chronic coronary occlusions an attempt with conventional techniques had failed before. Following a learning curve, which was also influenced by a better understanding of morphological preconditions, the acute success has now reached 70%. Both in patients with peripheral and those with coronary occlusions the technique turned out to be a safe procedure. Early angiographically documented long-term results in both indications are comparable with conventional balloon techniques. It is concluded that the use of low-speed rotational angioplasty (ROTACS) can improve the results of non-operative invasive treatment, both in peripheral and in coronary arteries.

Angioplasty↗

[Myocardial and coronary vessel dysfunction in diabetes I patients].

Despite of dramatic improvement in diagnostic procedures and treatment of diabetic patients, cardio-vascular complications are still the most frequent causes of death in these patients. Diabetes influences myocardial and coronary vessels function by coexisting macroangiopathy, microangiopathy, metabolic disturbances and autonomic nervous system neuropathy. All these factors result in diastolic and systolic dysfunction of the heart. Cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure and serious arrhythmias are the end stage of diabetic complications. Macroangiopathy demonstrates accelerated atherosclerosis (involving coronary arteries), which consequences can be observed in 1 type diabetes patients at around the age of 30. Causes of increased risk of macroangiopathy in type 1 diabetic patients are not clear. There are not many clinical, prospective trials which can allow for etiology determination of the increased incidence of atherosclerosis and mortality due to coronary artery disease in this population. Adding to traditional risk factors of atherosclerosis like genetic factors, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, smoking and improper diet, other important risk factors are observed in diabetic patients. Only few clinical trials suggest that hyperglycemia, glycation, glycoxidation of proteins, lipoproteins, changes in their composition, microalbuminuria, coagulation, fibrinolytic disturbances are additional risk factors of endothelium dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Prevention and treatment of accelerated coronary artery disease and it's consequences are more complicated in the diabetic population than in others. Some of the clinical trials suggest that even improved glycemic control does not eliminate the elevated risk of coronary artery disease in type 1 diabetic patients.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗

Coronary anatomy in patients with various manifestations of three vessel coronary artery disease.

The histology of coronary arteries was compared in patients with rest and effort angina. The arteries came from six patients with three vessel disease who died within four weeks of arteriography and ambulatory ST segment monitoring. Sections of all macroscopically visible arteries were taken every 5 mm and examined histologically. Episodes of ST segment depression had occurred on exertion in two patients, during exertion and rest (nocturnal) in two, and two patients had had no episodes of ST segment depression during ambulatory monitoring. Concentric (29%) or eccentric (62%) intimal thickening due to atheroma or fibroelastic tissue was found in 91% of sections. All but two normal intimal sections (1%) were found to be diseased in patients with ambulatory ST segment changes. Eccentric lesions with medial smooth muscle preservation in areas without intimal thickening, where further luminal narrowing could occur due to increases in smooth muscle tone, were found in 15% of sections. But these areas were not found in the proximal 3.5 cm of any of the major coronary arteries of the two patients with rest and effort ischaemia. Spasm could not have caused total occlusion in any of these arteries because the lumen was splinted by the lesion. There was no difference in mean luminal narrowing between patients with exertional and rest ischaemia and exertional ischaemia only (mean 74%), but mean luminal narrowing was lower in patients with no ambulatory episodes of ST segment change (39%). Thus medial smooth muscle spasm was unlikely to have caused occlusion in patients with ambulatory ST segment changes, although it could have altered lumen diameter. There are no histological differences in the coronary arteries of patients with rest or effort induced myocardial ischaemia.

Aged↗

Restenosis rates in diabetic patients: a comparison of coronary stenting and balloon angioplasty in native coronary vessels.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a major risk factor for restenosis after coronary balloon angioplasty. Recent studies have shown that coronary stenting significantly reduces restenosis compared with balloon angioplasty alone. However, limited information is available on the effect of coronary stenting in diabetic patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We designed this study to analyze the effect of diabetes on restenosis in patients treated with either balloon angioplasty or coronary stenting who were enrolled in a 6-month angiographic follow-up program. Three hundred consecutive patients, 19% of whom were diabetics, who underwent coronary stent implantation during a single-vessel procedure on native coronary vessels and who had 6-month angiographic follow-up constituted the study group (stent group). Three hundred consecutive patients who underwent 6-month angiographic follow-up after single-vessel conventional balloon angioplasty served as control patients (balloon group). Preprocedural, postprocedural, and follow-up angiograms were analyzed with quantitative angiography. In the balloon group, the restenosis rate was almost twofold higher in diabetic than in nondiabetic patients (63% versus 36%; P=.0002) owing to both a greater late loss (0.79+/-0.70 versus 0.41+/-0.61 mm, respectively; P<.0001) and a higher rate of late vessel occlusion (14% versus 3%, respectively; P<.001). In the stent group, restenosis rates were similar in diabetics and nondiabetics (25% versus 27%, respectively). Furthermore, in the stent group, late loss (0.77+/-0.65 versus 0.79+/-0.57 mm, respectively) and the rate of late vessel occlusion (2% versus 1%, respectively) did not differ significantly between diabetic and nondiabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although diabetics have increased rates of restenosis and late vessel occlusion after simple balloon angioplasty, they have the same improved outcome with coronary stenting that has been documented in nondiabetic patients.

Aged↗

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty as a first revascularization procedure in single-, double- and triple-vessel coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to compare in-hospital and long-term outcome after angioplasty in patients with single-, double- and triple-vessel disease. BACKGROUND: Coronary angioplasty is increasingly used in patients with multivessel disease. METHODS: The source of data was the clinical data base at Emory University. Patients who had previous coronary revascularization or who underwent angioplasty in the setting of acute myocardial infarction were excluded. RESULTS: Of 10,783 patients, 71% had one-vessel, 24% two-vessel and 5% three-vessel disease. Age, male gender, diabetes, hypertension, history of previous myocardial infarction, Canadian Cardiovascular Society class III or IV angina and congestive failure all increased with severity of disease. Complete revascularization was achieved in most patients with one-vessel disease, in a minority with two-vessel disease and rarely in those with three-vessel disease. Emergency coronary bypass surgery increased from 1.7% with one-vessel disease to 3.2% with three-vessel disease. Q wave myocardial infarctions could not be shown to vary significantly with severity of disease. The mortality rate increased from 0.2% with one-vessel disease to 1.2% with three-vessel disease. The number of vessels diseased was a multivariate correlate of in-hospital and long-term mortality. The 1-, 5- and 10-year survival was 0.99, 0.93 and 0.86 for one-vessel disease and 0.97, 0.89 and 0.76 for two-vessel disease, respectively. The 1-, 5- and 9-year survival was 0.95, 0.85 and 0.70 in three-vessel disease, respectively. Freedom from myocardial infarction, coronary bypass surgery and repeat angioplasty was also lower with more severe disease. CONCLUSIONS: Patients have increasing in-hospital and long-term mortality as the severity of disease increases. There is also an increased incidence of myocardial infarction and revascularization procedures with more severe disease.

Aged↗

Effects of nitric oxide-modulating amino acids on coronary vessels: relevance to sepsis.

Excessive nitric oxide (NO) production in septic shock is thought to contribute to the associated profound hypotension. Here we show that despite induction of NO synthase (NOS) in the hearts of endotoxin-treated rats, coronary vascular responses to the contractile peptide endothelin-1, were not modified. This was not due to any change in the expression of endothelin receptors. However, when the substrate for NOS, L-arginine, was added to the perfusate, increases in coronary perfusion pressure stimulated by endothelin were reduced in hearts from endotoxin-treated animals compared to those from controls. In addition, L-glutamine, which blocks the generation of L-arginine from intracellular stores, enhanced the increase in perfusion pressure stimulated by endothelin-1. These data suggest that L-arginine becomes rate limiting for the production of NO in the coronary vessels during septic shock. Moreover, it suggests that vascular reactivity may be modulated positively or negatively by supplementation with the relevant amino acids.

Animals↗

Acute and intermediate-term procedural results using cypher stenting to treat multi-vessel coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: We examined our experience using the sirolimus eluting stents (Cypher) as an alternative to surgical revascularization in carefully selected cohort of patients undergoing multi-vessel percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients with multi-vessel disease who were good candidates for both surgical and percutaneous revascularization were included in the current analysis. All patients underwent a careful clinical evaluation prior to the intervention, and they were followed for procedural and clinical outcomes for nine months. RESULTS: Mean age was 64+/-11 years (40 males, 30% diabetics) and 10 patients (20%) had three-vessel disease. Angina class was 2.7+/-0.6 at baseline. Overall, 116 lesions were treated using 122 stents (mean 2.4 stents per patient). Total mean stent length was 43+/-12 mm (range: 21-90 mm). Overall, one patient died during follow-up (2%), no patient had stroke or Q wave MI and one patient experienced non-Q myocardial infarction. There was no documented stent thrombosis and two patients (4%) underwent target-vessel revascularization. The hierarchical cumulative major adverse cardiac event rate was 8% and the cardiac event-free survival rate was thus 92%. CONCLUSION: Multi-vessel stenting using Cypher stents is a viable treatment strategy in selected group of patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease. It is associated with excellent intermediate-term clinical outcomes and thus it could serve as the primary revascularization strategy of choice in appropriate candidates.

Aged↗

[Mechanism of action and long-term results of balloon dilatation of coronary vessel stenoses].

Predominant mechanisms for opening of coronary stenoses by balloon angioplasty are reduction of atheroma by fluid expression and increase in vessel diameter. Coronary dissection is related to complications like abrupt coronary closure but not to acute or long-term success. Local recurrencies after coronary angioplasty occur within the first 4 months. After this period long-term results depend on progression of the disease in other coronary arteries or segments.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

Effect of measurement interval on performance of the ST integral for the identification of three-vessel coronary disease.

Measurement of the ST integral has usually incorporated ST-segment depression integrated between the J point and 80 ms after the J point (J + 80). To assess the effect of varied onset and offset of ST measurement on performance of the ST integral for the identification of three-vessel coronary disease, the exercise electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 60 patients with angiographically proven coronary disease were analyzed using J point or J + 20 onsets and J + 60 or J + 80 offsets of ST integral calculation. Simple ST-segment depression of greater than 200 microV, measured at 60 ms after the J point, identified three-vessel disease with a specificity of 68% (17 out of 25 patients) and sensitivity of 69% (22 out of 35 patients). At a matched specificity of 68% (17 out of 25 patients), there was identical sensitivity (54%, 19 out of 35 patients) of ST integrals measured either from the J point to J + 80, from the J point to J + 60, or from J + 20 to J + 60. A trend toward increased sensitivity (60%, 21 out of 35 patients) when the ST integral was measured from J + 20 to J + 80 did not reach statistical significance, and comparison of receive operating characteristics (ROC) curves demonstrated that varying the onset and offset of ST-segment measurement had no significant effect on the overall performance of ST integral criteria for the detection of three-vessel disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Coronary Angiography↗

[Pseudo-stenosis caused by vessel wall invagination during interventional treatment of 2 coronary vessels in a patient].

We report on a 59-year-old man who underwent a combined procedure of directional coronary atherectomy (DCA) and PTCA of significant lesions of the right coronary artery (RCA) and the left circumflex artery (LCX). Already after positioning of a standard guide wire in the right coronary artery a new excentric "pseudo-stenosis" was observed in the proximal part of the right coronary artery. Since the patient remained symptom free, a 7F DCA catheter was introduced to the stenotic area in the mid RCA, which led to an extension of the narrowing, involving the total segment proximal to the DCA catheter. Directional coronary atherectomy was performed without complications. Removal of the catheter, after successful DCA, and administration of intracoronary nitroglycerin did not relieve the proximal narrowing, which disappeared spontaneously after the guide wire was pulled out. During PTCA of the left circumflex using a standard guide wire and a 3.0 mm Monorail balloon catheter, a similar tight narrowing of the origin of the LCX was observed, which could also not be influenced by vasodilator drugs, but relieved after wire removal. Until now, this phenomenon has only been described for the right coronary artery. The reason underlying intimal folding is a shifting of the intimal layer against the medial layer of the vessel wall. Our observation firstly describes this phenomenon of "pseudo narrowing" in two different vessels in one patient. We, like other authors before, recommend that interventional therapy of these pseudo-lesions should be avoided.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗

Non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic assessment of single-vessel coronary artery disease: focus on stress echocardiography.

AIMS: Revascularization procedures are increasingly applied in patients with single-vessel coronary artery disease in spite of the fact that a prognostic benefit has been proved only for soft end-points. This review summarizes the results of stress echocardiography in the diagnostic and prognostic assessment of these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: The diagnostic and prognostic assessment of patients with single-vessel disease using stress (exercise, dobutamine, adenosine and dipyridamole) echocardiography are focused upon in the light of pathophysiological considerations and the results of clinical studies. Factors affecting test accuracy are individually addressed and comparisons made with different stress testing modalities, including exercise electrocardiography and nuclear techniques. Finally, therapeutic options are discussed and the superior accuracy of the physiological assessment of coronary stenosis as compared to the simple anatomic evaluation emphasized. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with single-vessel disease represent an anatomically heterogeneous group. Although the suboptimal performance of any technique in their evaluation has to be acknowledged, stress echocardiography can effectively contribute to selection of the management strategy.

Cardiotonic Agents↗

Assessment of anatomic and physiological severity of single-vessel coronary artery lesions by dipyridamole echocardiography. Comparison with positron emission tomography and quantitative arteriography.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the results of dipyridamole-echocardiography test (DET: two-dimensional echo monitoring during dipyridamole infusion up to 0.84 mg/kg over a period of 10 minutes) with both anatomic and physiological parameters of coronary artery disease severity, assessed by computer-assisted quantitative coronary arteriography, and regional coronary flow reserve, measured by [13N]ammonia (13NH3) and dynamic positron emission tomography (PET), respectively. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 31 patients with a history of chest pain and neither previous myocardial infarction nor resting wall motion abnormalities. Eighteen patients had single-vessel disease (> 50% stenosis of one major coronary vessel), and 13 had normal coronary arteries. The criterion for DET positivity was the appearance of a new transient regional wall motion abnormality. In patients with a positive DET, two parameters were evaluated: the dipyridamole time (ie, the time from the beginning of drug infusion to the development of obvious dyssynergy) and the wall motion score index (WMSI, a semiquantitative integrated estimation of extent and severity of the stress-induced dyssynergy). WMSI was derived by summation of individual segment scores divided by the number of segments interpreted. Quantification of regional myocardial blood flow was obtained by PET measurements of 13NH3 arterial input function and left ventricular myocardial tissue concentration both at control and after dipyridamole (0.56 mg/kg over 4 minutes). Maximal regional blood flow after dipyridamole in the region supplied by the stenotic vessel was significantly lower in the 11 patients with coronary artery disease and positive DET than in the 7 patients with coronary artery disease and negative DET (1.08 +/- 0.33 versus 1.98 +/- 0.37 mL.min-1.g-1, P < .01). In patients with a positive DET, regional coronary flow reserve correlated well with dipyridamole time (r = .87, P < .01) but not with peak WMSI (r = .25, P = NS). Patients with dipyridamole-induced akinesia or dyskinesia (n = 6) had a greater reduction in regional coronary flow reserve than did those showing hypokinesia (n = 5): 1.38 +/- 0.51 versus 2.17 +/- 0.42, P < .05. Percent area reduction was more severe in patients with DET positivity than in those with DET negativity (93.7 +/- 8.7% versus 77 +/- 10.3%, P < .01), and it correlated with regional coronary flow reserve (r = .64, P < .01) and dipyridamole time (r = -.59, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with single-vessel disease, DET shows an excellent specificity but a limited sensitivity; in these patients, DET positivity is associated with a physiologically important coronary stenosis. Severity of the anatomic stenosis and impairment in regional flow reserve are greater when the dipyridamole-induced dyssynergy appears earlier during the test. Therefore, a stratification of the anatomo-physiological severity of coronary artery disease can be obtained with DET, based mainly on the temporal allocation of the transient dyssynergy.

Adult↗

[Transluminal angioplasty of the coronary vessels in patients with pluritruncular unstable angina].

Between October, 1979 and August, 1987, 489 patients with multivessel coronary disease and unstable angina underwent transluminal angioplasty of coronary arteries with the following results: primary success in 90 p. 100 of the patients, emergency bypass surgery of occlusive dissection in 1.8 p. 100, myocardial infarction in 2.9 p. 100, death in 1.4 p. 100. These results were similar to those obtained in 369 patients with stable angina whose coronary vessels were dilated by the same group during the same period. The death rate was significantly higher in elderly people and in women. 398/489 patients were followed up for 2 to 45 months: 1.8 p. 100 died, 2 p. 100 developed myocardial infarction and 2.3 p. 100 underwent coronary bypass. 46 patients had repeat angioplasty for restenosis. After single or repeat angioplasty, 68 p. 100 of the primary success patients followed up were asymptomatic, and 73 p. 100 had lasting clinical improvement. Among 221 patients studied with different numbers of vessels treated, the degree of revascularization did not make any significant difference in the percentage of symptom-free patients. Data from the literature concerning the medical treatment of unstable angina indicate a high incidence of complications and a mediocre long-term functional benefit, while data concerning surgical treatment show a better long-term functional result. Compared with these two types of treatment, transluminal coronary angioplasty appears as a satisfactory method to treat unstable angina in patients with multivessel coronary disease.

Adult↗

Comparison of stenting with balloon angioplasty for lesions of small coronary vessels in patients with diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: We sought to assess whether stenting is a better treatment strategy than percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for lesions in small coronary vessels of diabetic patients. METHODS: We studied the 100 diabetic patients who were enrolled in the Intracoronary Stenting or Angioplasty for Restenosis Reduction in Small Arteries trial; 51 patients were randomly assigned to receive a stent and 49 to PTCA alone. Small vessels were considered those with a reference diameter of 2.0 to 2.8 mm. The primary endpoint of the study was the incidence of restenosis, defined as 50% or greater diameter stenosis at follow-up angiography (performed in 83 of the 100 patients). The secondary endpoint was clinical restenosis, defined as the need for target vessel revascularization within 1 year. RESULTS: Angiographic restenosis occurred in 18 (44%) of the patients who received a stent and in 19 (45%) of the PTCA patients (P = 0.90). Target vessel revascularization was needed in 13 (25%) of the stent patients and 10 (20%) of the PTCA patients (P = 0.55). During the 1-year follow-up, 5 (10%) of the stent patients died or incurred myocardial infarction, compared with 3 (6%) of the PTCA patients (P = 0.50). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with diabetes who undergo percutaneous coronary interventions for lesions in small vessels have an especially high risk of restenosis that does not appear to be attenuated by stenting.

Aged↗

The effects of molsidomine and its metabolite SIN-1 on coronary vessel tone, platelet aggregation, and eicosanoid formation in vitro--inhibition of 12-HPETE biosynthesis.

We studied the action of the biologically active metabolite of molsidomine, N-morpholino-N-nitrosoamino-acetonitrile (SIN), on eicosanoid formation and functional behavior of bovine coronary arteries and human platelets in vitro. Glyceryltrinitrate (GTN) and prostaglandin (PG) I2 were used as reference compounds. SIN dose-dependently inhibited the thrombin-, collagen-, and primary ADP-induced platelet aggregation. The IC50 was in the range of 0.1-0.8 mumol/L. At these concentrations SIN also inhibited thromboxane formation, but did not influence the PGI2 biosynthesis of coronary vessels. Molsidomine itself was inactive. GTN stimulated vascular PGI2 formation, but did not modify the platelet aggregation at comparable concentrations. A particularly interesting finding was the dose-dependent and apparently complete inhibition of formation of the hydroperoxide of 12L-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HPETE) in human platelets by SIN. The IC50 amounted to 1.7 +/- 0.4 mumol/L and was in the same range as with 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (2.0 +/- 0.3 mumol/L). Although the results may not suggest a common mechanism of the antiaggregatory action of GTN and SIN, they provide no evidence of a similar or dissimilar mechanism of action in vascular smooth muscle.

Animals↗

Assessment of "silent" restenosis and long-term follow-up after successful angioplasty in single vessel coronary artery disease: the value of quantitative exercise electrocardiography and quantitative coronary angiography.

Exercise electrocardiographic (ECG) testing during follow-up after coronary angioplasty is widely applied to evaluate the efficacy of angioplasty, even in asymptomatic patients. One hundred forty-one asymptomatic patients without previous myocardial infarction underwent quantitative exercise ECG testing and quantitative coronary angiography 1 to 6 months after successful angioplasty in single vessel coronary artery disease to 1) determine the value of exercise ECG testing to detect "silent" restenosis, and 2) assess the long-term prognostic value of exercise ECG testing and coronary angiography. The prevalence of restenosis (defined as greater than or equal to 50% luminal narrowing at the dilation site) was 12% in this selected study group. Of 26 patients with an abnormal exercise ECG (ST segment depression greater than or equal to 0.1 mV), only 4 (15%) showed recurrence of stenosis. Sensitivity and specificity for detection of restenosis were 24% and 82%, respectively. One hundred thirty-four patients (95%) were followed up 1 to 64 months (mean 35) after exercise ECG testing and coronary angiography. Thirty-two patients (24%) experienced a cardiac event: in 25 patients (78%) the initial event was recurrent angina pectoris (New York Heart Association class III or IV) and in 7 patients (22%) it was myocardial infarction, although cardiac death did not occur. The mean interval between exercise ECG testing and the initial cardiac events was 14 months (range 1 to 55), whereas 47% of the initial events took place less than or equal to 6 months after exercise ECG testing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angiography↗

Acute infarction during triple-vessel coronary angioplasty due to acute occlusion of a nonattempted vessel.

During angioplasty of the left coronary artery, an acute thrombotic occlusion of the right coronary artery occurred at the site of a borderline stenosis. The source of the unexplained chest pain at the end of the procedure was identified but the next day when inferior Q-waves appeared. It was documented by repeat angiography. The coronary angiogram of the right coronary artery preceding the angioplasty of the left coronary artery is likely to have triggered the occlusion. Chest pain during or after angioplasty without apparent cause in the dilated artery must prompt a contrast medium injection into the nonattempted artery, particularly if the latter had undergone a diagnostic study at the beginning of the procedure.

Adult↗