The American journal of cardiology
-
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are both used widely for angina but information about their comparative efficacy is limited. This study compared the outcome of 358 consecutive patients undergoing initial revascularization for significant narrowing of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) by PTCA (n = 254) or CABG (n = 104) from 1987 to 1989. PTCA was successful in 93% but complicated by urgent CABG in 3%. ⋯ Both groups achieved similar status, with 81% of PTCA and 90% of CABG patients having angina no worse than functional class I. Quality-of-life index was high for both groups (0.983 +/- 0.034/1.000 vs 0.987 +/- 0.032/1.000, p = 0.3). Both PTCA and CABG result in excellent survival, functional ability, and quality of life, but patients undergoing PTCA require more procedures to achieve this.
-
Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PC), an uncommon cause of peripartum heart failure, is defined as a cardiomyopathy presenting in the last trimester of pregnancy or the first 6 months postpartum, without evidence of preexisting cardiovascular disease. The etiology of PC and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) remains uncertain. Several reports have addressed possible differences in clinical presentation and prognosis between these groups. ⋯ Results indicate a lower incidence of myocarditis (8.8%, 3 of 34) than that reported in other studies. This incidence was comparable to that found in an age- and sex-matched control population undergoing transplantation for IDC (9.1%, 2 of 22). Factors that may influence the diverse range in the reported incidence of myocarditis are discussed.