[Atypical and ischemic chest pain more than a year after aortocoronary bypass]

Abstract

215 consecutive patients were followed up for more than a year (22 +/- 9 months) after aortocoronary bypass. Recurrence of ischaemic (anginal) and atypical chest pain was assessed: 54% of all patients were completely without pain postoperatively, 76% free of angina and 93% improved by at least one NYHA class. The frequency of severe atypical chest pain was similar pre- and postoperatively (11% and 13%, respectively), but nearly double that of postoperatively severe angina (13% vs 7%, P less than 0.05). Limiting atypical chest pains in patients with pre-operative atypical chest pain was much more frequent postoperatively than in patients who pre-operatively had only angina (30% vs 11%, P less than 0.005). These two patient groups did not differ with respect to age, sex, degree of vessels disease, exercise-induced ischaemia or number and patency of bypasses. Thus, exercise-limiting atypical chest pain can influence the surgical results in up to 30% of patients with pre-operative atypical chest pain (with or without typical angina).