The effects of coronary angioplasty on the global and regional left ventricular function in patients with angina pectoris after anterior myocardial infarction

Abstract

Thirty-one patients (29 men and 2 women, mean age 49 ± 10 years) were evaluated to investigate the effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) on left ventricular function (LV) in patients with angina pectoris after anterior wall myocardial infarction. LV functions and LV regional wall motion scores were obtained by means of a semiquantitative method using left ventriculography. Coronary angiographies and left ventriculographies were done just before and 182 ± 160 days after the angioplasty of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery lesion. It had been found that LV ejection fraction had increased and anterolateral, apical, and septal wall motion scores had decreased significantly after PTCA in accordance with the patients' clinical status. The improvement was more prominent in patients with poor LV function. However, LV functions did not show any significant improvement in patients who develop restenosis after PTCA.