[The effect of an aortocoronary bypass on the physical capacity of drug-stabilized patients with unstable angina pectoris].

Abstract

To 51 patients with unstable angina pectoris a submaximum symptom-limited bicycle ergometry [correction of veloergometric] test was performed 3 to 6 days after stabilization by medicamentous treatment was achieved and 2 to 6 months after an aortocoronary bypass had been accomplished. During the first veloergometric test myocardial ischemia was induced in all patients--9 patients were in the IV, 18--in the III and 24--in the II functional class according to NYHA. During the second veloergometric test myocardial ischemia was induced only in 5 patients. At the end of the first year after the aortocoronary bypass had been performed 45 (88.2%) of the patients were without complaints. The predictive value of the positive veloergometric test after an aortocoronary bypass for a poor prognosis is 80% and that of the veloergometric test without induced myocardial ischemia for a favorable prognosis is 95.6%. Aortocoronary bypass in combination with medicamentous treatment improves the symptomatic state, physical capacity and the prognosis of patients with unstable angina pectoris up to the end of the first year to a considerably greater degree than the medicamentous treatment alone.