RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the demographic characteristics, cardiac risk factors, angiographic findings, and complications of patients undergoing coronary angiography. BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence of coronary angiography safety, however, limited data is available concerning the value of this procedure in the Puerto Rican population. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 322 patients submitted to this procedure at the Cardiovascular Center of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean over a three-month period during 1995. Comparisons of means were based on Student's t-test; comparisons of proportions were based on Pearson's Chi-Square test. RESULTS: Mean age was 60.4 +/- 10.6 years (Range: 20-86); 57.1% were males. Stable angina (p < 0.001) and atypical chest pain (p = 0.014) were more frequent in females. Smoking history (p < 0.0001), left ventricular dysfunction (p = 0.003), angina post-myocardial infarction (p < 0.001), and myocardial infarction (p < 0.025) were more frequent in males. The most frequent angiographic findings were two-vessel disease (24.2%), normal coronary angiogram (21.2%), and non-obstructive disease (16.9%). In patients with angiographic evidence of coronary artery disease, hypertension (69.8%), diabetes mellitus (41.3%), and hypercholesterolemia (37%) were the predominant risk factors. Thirty-four percent of patients had left ventricular dysfunction. The majority of patients (86%) met American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Class I or II indications for coronary angiography. The only major complication recorded was ventricular arrhythmia requiring defibrillation (0.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-eight percent of patients submitted to this procedure did not have significant coronary artery stenosis, a slightly higher estimate than reported elsewhere. In addition, the frequency of major procedural-related complications as currently practiced in this institution was low.