Angina common a year after heart attack

MedWire News: A significant number of patients experience angina (chest pain caused by narrowing of arteries) a year after suffering a heart attack, researchers have found.

"Eradication of angina is a primary goal of care after [heart attack]," explain Dr Thomas Maddox, from University of Colorado in Denver, USA, and colleagues. "However, the prevalence of angina 1 year after [heart attack] and factors associated with it are unknown."

To investigate, the researchers surveyed 1957 patients 1 year after they had suffered a heart attack.

All the patients completed a questionnaire detailing angina symptoms as well as information on treatment received and lifestyle factors.

The team found that 389 (20%) participants reported experiencing angina 1 year after their heart attacks. Of these, 24 reported daily chest pain, 59 reported weekly chest pain and 306 reported chest pain less than once a week.

Patients who suffered from angina were more likely to be younger, non-White men than those who did not report chest pain. They were also more likely to be current smokers and to suffer from depression symptoms than other patients.

Dr Maddox and team summarise: "Angina occurs in nearly one of five patients 1 year after [heart attack]. It is associated with several modifiable factors, including persistent smoking and depressive symptoms."

They add: "Future investigation into modifiable factors, such as depression and smoking cessation, will be important in the quest to alleviate angina and improve subsequent cardiac outcomes among patients after [heart attack]."

The research is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.