Cardiac catheterization in patients with unstable angina. Recent onset vs crescendo pattern
G. D. Plotnik, M. L. Fisher, N. H. Carliner and L. C. Becker
Among patients with unstable angina pectoris, those with crescendo angina
seem to be at high risk for death and myocardial infarction. We reviewed
the clinical, arteriographic, and hemodynamic findings in 218 consecutive
catheterized patients with unstable angina. Unstable angina was defined as
ischemic cardiac pain at rest associated with transient ECG changes but no
evidence for acute myocardial infarction. Patients were divided into two
groups according to the duration of symptoms: 134 patients with crescendo
angina (new, or increasing, rest pain with previous ischemic symptoms
present for more than three months) and 84 with recent onset angina
(symptoms present for less than three months). Compared with patients with
recent onset symptoms, patients with crescendo angina had more extensive
coronary disease and lower ejection fractions, which may explain their poor
prognosis.
