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[Positive exercise test in hypertensive patients correlated with coronary angiography]

J Rosado1, C de los Santos, P Iturralde

  • 1Departamento de Electrocardiografía y Electrofisiología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología, Ignacio Chávez, México, D.F.

Archivos Del Instituto De Cardiologia De Mexico
|May 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Hypertension and exercise stress tests reveal significant coronary artery disease in most patients. Over 70% of hypertensive individuals with positive stress tests showed obstructive coronary lesions, indicating a high prevalence of heart disease.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Hypertension Research
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD).
  • Exercise stress testing is a common tool for evaluating patients with suspected CAD.
  • The correlation between exercise test results and angiographic findings in hypertensive patients requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the state of coronary arteries in hypertensive patients who had a positive exercise stress test.
  • To determine the prevalence and severity of coronary artery lesions in this patient group.

Main Methods:

  • Selected 82 hypertensive patients (50 male, 32 female; mean age 56.9 years) with positive exercise tests.
  • Performed coronary angiography to evaluate coronary artery status.
  • Analyzed exercise test parameters and their correlation with angiographic findings.

Main Results:

  • Coronary angiography revealed normal arteries in 25 patients.
  • 13 patients had non-significant narrowings (<50%).
  • 44 patients (54% of the cohort) had significant coronary artery lesions (>50%).
  • Systolic hypertension or a flat response during exercise was more frequent in patients with advanced coronary lesions (66% and 75% predicted positive value).
  • Exercise test parameters were not statistically significant on their own.

Conclusions:

  • A high proportion (70%) of hypertensive patients with positive exercise tests have obstructive coronary artery lesions.
  • Specific exercise test responses, like systolic hypertension or flat response, may indicate a higher likelihood of significant coronary obstructions.
  • Coronary angiography remains crucial for definitive diagnosis in hypertensive patients with positive stress tests.

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