Natural history of cornary artery disease studied by coronary arteriography. A seven-year study of 795 patients.

Seven hundred and ninety-five consecutive patients with the diagnosis of angina pectoris were studied by coronary angiography and followed for 2-7 years. The prognosis is greatly determined by the extent of coronary artery involvement. Concomitant mitral insufficiency or ventricular aneurysm influence the prognosis adversely. There was no significant difference in prognosis between men and women. As regards patients with three-vessel disease and elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, the prognosis was better in operated than in non-operated patients. The prognosis seems to have improved when angina pectoris materials collected in the 70s are compared with materials from the 60s.