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Does it help to undiagnose angina?
European Heart Journal
|July 1, 1983
Summary
Even after identifying non-cardiac causes for chest pain, patients previously diagnosed with angina still perceive their pain as cardiac. This highlights the lasting psychological impact of an angina diagnosis, even when incorrect.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychosomatic Medicine
Background:
- Chest pain with normal coronary arteriograms presents a diagnostic challenge.
- Previous studies identified musculoskeletal and esophageal origins for such pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess patient self-perception of chest pain 2 years after reclassification.
- To understand the persistence of angina-related psychological effects.
Main Methods:
- Follow-up assessment of 64 patients with prior angina diagnosis and normal coronary arteriograms.
- Analysis of patient self-reported pain experiences post-reclassification.
Main Results:
- A significant number of patients continued to associate their chest pain with cardiac origins.
- The psychological impact of an angina diagnosis persisted despite identification of non-cardiac causes.
Conclusions:
- Reclassification of chest pain from angina to non-cardiac causes does not easily negate the perceived cardiac nature of the pain.
- The psychological burden of an angina diagnosis can endure, impacting patient self-assessment.