ANGINA POST ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION - ANGIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

A classification scheme based on angiographic assessment of culprit and associated lesions was developed to describe high risk patients. To determine the prognostic value of this scheme, angiographic, electrocardiographic and morphologic analyses were performed on 144 post infarction angina patients. The 144 patients were distributed in different angiographic groups as follows: Group I: 57.6%; Group II: 11.1%; Group III: 11.1%; Group IV. 13.9%; Group V. 3.5% and Group VI: 2.8%. In 41 (28.5%) patients there was collateral circulation. In all the patients with collateral circulation the "culprit" artery was totally occluded and was jeopardized in 20 patients. Ejection fraction was analyzed and demonstrated that patients in Groups 5 and 6 had poor ventricular function. These results suggest that this classification scheme may provide valuable information regarding not only the prognosis but also the treatment of patients with post infarction angina.