[Coronary disease in patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm]

The presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) evaluated with coronary angiography and eventual correction of CAD in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients has been considered the main determinant of early and late outcome after AAA repair. This study reports our experience in CAD and AAA patients in terms of diagnosis and therapy of CAD. In a population of 126 patients (122 males, 4 females, mean age 67.5 years, range 37-81) who were candidates to elective repair for AAA with a diameter > or = 5 centimeters, we included coronary arteriography in 1) patients who were symptomatic for angina (15.9%); 2) patients with previous myocardial infarction (33.3%); 3) patients with previous coronary artery bypass (4%). We identified a group of 45 patients (35.7%) with significant CAD who had been treated before AAA surgery by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 37 cases or percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in 8 cases. AAA repair was performed during the same hospital stay or at a later date. We did not report any morbidity and mortality related to cardiac or vascular procedures. We believe that among patients reporting cardiac symptoms (previous myocardial infarction, angina) the incidence of surgically-correctable CAD is not negligible (45/67, 67.2%). Therefore, invasive coronary study is strongly suggested in such cases to reveal and treat an eventual coronary artery stenosis prior to AAA repair. The absence of cardiac morbidity and mortality related to cardiac and vascular procedures supports this approach.