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Asymptomatic coronary artery disease in chagasic patients with heart failure: prevalence and risk factors

Gustavo Carvalho1, Salvador Rassi, José Maria Dias de Azeredo Bastos

  • 1Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil. gustavocarvalho@cardiol.br

Arquivos Brasileiros De Cardiologia
|October 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

The prevalence of asymptomatic coronary artery disease in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy and severe heart failure is low (1.6%). Smoking was the most common risk factor identified in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Chagas cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease are prevalent in Brazil.
  • The coexistence of asymptomatic coronary artery disease in Chagas cardiomyopathy patients with heart failure is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of significant coronary artery disease (>50% lesions) in Chagas cardiomyopathy patients with heart failure (HF) functional class III/IV.
  • To assess risk factors for atherosclerosis in this specific patient cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Coronary angiography was performed on 61 consecutive Chagas cardiomyopathy patients (HF functional class III/IV) prior to stem cell therapy.
  • Risk factors for atherosclerosis including age, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, and overweight were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of coronary artery disease was low at 1.6% (1 patient).
  • Prevalent risk factors included smoking (59%), arterial hypertension (18%), dyslipidemia (6.5%), and diabetes (1.6%).

Conclusions:

  • Asymptomatic coronary artery disease is uncommon in patients with severe Chagas heart failure.
  • Smoking emerged as the most frequent coronary heart disease risk factor in this population.
Abstract

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