Middle-aged people suffering from angina are more at risk of heart attack, heart failure, and other cardiovascular problems than other individuals, UK researchers report.

Although angina is the most common symptom of coronary heart disease, there are few data on its long-term effects, explain J McMurray, from Western Infirmary in Glasgow, and colleagues in the journal Heart.

The researchers examined the long-term cardiovascular consequences of angina in 7048 men and 8354 women aged between 45 and 64 years.

At the start of the study, 9.5% of men and 9.6% of women had angina. During a follow-up period of 20 years, the rates of death from any cause were 67.7% in men and 43.3% in women with angina, compared with 45.4% and 30.4% in men and women, respectively, who did not have angina.

Men and women with angina were more likely than those without the condition to die from a cardiovascular-related problem and to be admitted to hospital for a heart attack or heart failure.

These risks were increased further if people with angina also had an abnormal heart rhythm reading.

Women with angina were less likely to have a cardiovascular event or suffer a heart attack than men with the condition. But there was no gender difference in the risk of stroke, abnormal heart rhythm or heart failure.

Dr McMurray and team conclude: "Vigorous efforts to identify and treat patients with angina (many of which, especially women, are not known to the healthcare system) could lead to substantial reduction in the direct and indirect burden of cardiovascular disease."