Coronary angiographic characteristics in unstable angina pectoris.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the angiographic characteristics of coronary lesions in patients of different subgroups of unstable angina pectoris.

METHODS

Coronary angiograms and clinical manifestations were analysed on 388 patients.

RESULTS

Single-vessel disease was more common in new onset effort angina (69.64%) than in other subgroups (P < 0.05); triple-vessel disease and left main coronary artery disease appeared more frequently in patients with rest angina than in other subgroups (72.34% and 27.66% respectively, P < 0.05), so did complex lesions and type C lesions (36.07% and 60.64% respectively, P < 0.05). More than half of the culprit lesions in post-infarction angina were subtotal or total occlusions (53.12%), being more frequently found in this than in other subgroups (P < 0.05). Most of the patients with Prinzmetal variant angina had mild coronary lesions only. Coronary thrombi were found in 10.45% of the 388 patients; they were more frequent in patients with post-infarction angina (20.00%) than in the subgroups of new onset effort angina, aggravated effort angina and Prinzmetal variant angina (4.26%, 7.53% and 0% respectively, P < 0.05). Coronary thrombi were also more frequent in patients with chest pain at rest (16.39%) than in the subgroups of new onset effort angina and Prinzmetal variant angina (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

It is suggested that patients with angina at rest should be treated more intensively. Energetic anticoagulation treatment should be given to patients with post-infarction angina and angina at rest.