Treatment of unstable angina pectoris with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed in 40 patients (34 male, 6 female; 51.0 +/- 8.5 years) with the typical clinical picture of unstable angina. All had a short history of pain (2.9 +/- 2.0 months), angina at rest, transient ST and/or T wave changes during this period, and little or no enzyme elevations. The patients had a total of 41 stenoses (39 single, one double; one main-stem, 26 left anterior descending, 14 right coronary artery). The degree of the stenoses was 95.5 +/- 4.9% (area method) and 81.8 +/- 10.7% (diameter method). PTCA was successfully performed in 26 cases (63%), reducing the stenoses to 61.5 +/- 12.4% (area method) and 39.1 +/- 10.0% (diameter method). One patient (2.5%) received an immediate bypass operation because of an acute vessel occlusion. Eleven of the 14 not successfully treated patients received an aortocoronary bypass within the next three to 35 days. All still had symptoms of unstable angina. Three patients refused operation. Their treatment consisted of nitroglycerin, beta-blockers and nifedipin. Seventeen of the 26 successfully treated patients were restudied after 4.9 +/- 1.7 months. The degree of stenosis had risen to 69.2 +/- 17.4% (area method). While the stenoses in 12 patients were equal or less than before PTCA, stenosis recurred in five cases. Two patients were successfully retreated. PTCA can be performed with a good early success rate and a low concentration rate in patients with unstable angina. Relief of pain and improvement of blood supply to the jeopardized myocardium can be provided immediately and with a limited amount of expense. The method can therefore be regarded first-stage treatment in such patients.