Angina pectoris, one to 10 years after aortocoronary bypass surgery

• Published in: European heart journal Vol. 4; no. 10; p. 678
• Main Authors: Laird-Meeter, K, ten Katen, H J, Brower, R W, van den Brand, M J, Serruys, P W, Haalebos, M M, Bos, E, Hugenholtz, P G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-10-1983
• Subjects: Adult; Angina Pectoris - diagnosis; Angina Pectoris - surgery; Coronary Artery Bypass; Coronary Disease - diagnosis; Coronary Disease - surgery; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications - diagnosis; Recurrence
• ISSN: 0195-668X

The incidence of angina pectoris (AP) after bypass surgery was assessed in 1041 patients operated on consecutively between 1971 and 1980. Of the 977 survivors, 920 (94%) participated in the study with a followup time varying from 1 to 10 years (mean 3.5 years). Post-operative angina pectoris was present at 1 year in 277 patients (30%), at 3 years in 46%, at 8 years in 50%. The pain limited usual physical activities in 17.5%, 30% and 25%, respectively at these times. Nonetheless, 89% of the respondents felt improved by surgery. Factors without predictive value for late outcome were sex, number of pre-operative diseased vessels, and pre-operative ejection fraction. A correlation was found between post-operative AP and younger age at surgery in the males only (P less than 0.001); between AP and patency rate of the bypass graft (P less than 0.005) and with the status of the coronary arterial tree at three years post-operatively (P less than 0.001) in both sexes. The percentage of patients with recurrent AP increased with time after surgery up to 3 years, but remained stable thereafter. In conclusion, post-operative AP seems initially related to decreased functioning of the bypass graft, later to progression of coronary sclerosis in the native circulation.