Improved longevity due to reduction of sudden death by aortocoronary bypass in coronary atherosclerosis

Significance of the negative exercise test in evaluation of patients with chest pain

Fifty-three patients with chest pain and a negative exercise test at greater than 85% predicted maximal heart rate underwent coronary arteriography. Twenty-one patients (40%) had significant luminal narrowing in one or two vessels. No patient had left main disease. Pathologic electrocardiographic Q waves were present in only coronary heart disease patients (p less than 0.001). There was no difference (p greater than 0.05) in prevalence of T wave abnormalities, chest pain or ventricular beats during exercise in patients with or without coronary disease. Analysis of sex distribution revealed that typical angina pectoris was uncommon in the women (p less than 0.001) and all twenty-one coronary patients were men (p less than 0.001). We conclude that in patients with chest pain and a negative exercise test, three vessel or left main coronary artery disease is unlikely. Also, women with atypical chest pain and a negative exercise test are unlikely to have a fixed coronary obstruction.

Value of coronary bypass surgery. Controversies in cardiology: Part I

The value of coronary bypass surgery has been studied carefully during the last decade. Four methods, none perfect, have been used to compare the results of such surgery with the results of medical therapy. New data are likely to be merely supportive rather than the outcome of a definitive study with a new and a acceptable experimental design. It is therefore time to analyze the available data in light of the treacherousness of the disease and to determine if a clear trend is evident. There appears to be sufficient evidence to state that properly performed coronary bypass surgery will increase coronary blood flow and relieve angina pectoris in 90 percent of patients; total relief of angina can be expected in 60 percent and partial relief in 30 percent. Compared with modern medical therapy, properly performed coronary bypass surgery appears to prolong the life of patients who have obstruction of the left main coronary artery or triple or double vessel disease. There is not adequate evidence to state that the procedure will prolong the life of patients with single vessel obstruction. However, patients with single vessel obstruction and unacceptable angina pectoris should be considered for bypass surgery (especially patients with obstruction of the left anterior descending coronary artery). In practice, at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, bypass surgery is recommended for young people with few symptoms if compelling obstructing lesions are present and in older patients only if their symptoms require it. Medical therapy is given before and after bypass surgery. When bypass surgery is performed in an excellent fashion (operative risk 1 percent) a great deal of "controversy" about this problem vanishes.