Possible angina detected by the WHO angina questionnaire in apparently healthy men with a normal exercise ECG: coronary heart disease or not? A 26 year follow up study

• OBJECTIVE: To determine whether men with possible angina (from their responses to the World Health Organization angina questionnaire) but a normal exercise ECG differ in long term rates of coronary heart disease events from men with no symptoms of angina. DESIGN: During 1972-75, 2014 apparently healthy men aged 40-59 years underwent an examination programme including case history, clinical examination, exercise ECG to exhaustion, and various other tests. All men completed the WHO angina questionnaire. SUBJECTS: Of 2014 men, 68 had possible angina, 1831 had no symptoms of angina, and 115 were excluded because they had definite angina or pathological exercise ECGs. All 68+1831 had normal exercise ECGs and none developed chest pain during the exercise test. RESULTS: At 26 years, men with possible angina had a coronary heart disease mortality of 25.0% (17/68) v 13.8% (252/1831) among men with no symptoms of angina (p < 0.013). They also had a higher incidence of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (p < 0.0004) and acute myocardial infarction (p < 0.026). The excess coronary heart disease mortality among men with possible angina only started after 15 years, whereas differences in CABG/acute myocardial infarction started early. Multivariate analysis including well recognised coronary heart disease risk factors showed that possible angina was an independent risk factor (relative risk 1.79, 95% confidence interval 1.26 to 2.10). CONCLUSIONS: Men with possible angina, even with a normal exercise test, have a greater risk of dying from coronary heart disease, having an acute myocardial infarct, or needing a CABG than age matched counterparts with no symptoms of angina.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Acute Disease

Adult

Age Factors

Angina Pectoris/*diagnosis/etiology/mortality

Body Mass Index

Cholesterol/blood

Coronary Artery Bypass

Coronary Disease/complications/mortality

Electrocardiography

Exercise Test

Follow-Up Studies

Heart Rate/physiology

Humans

Male

Middle Aged

Myocardial Infarction/complications/mortality

Physical Fitness/physiology

Questionnaires

Risk Factors

World Health Organization

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)