Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that may affect several blood vessels in
different organs simultaneously. The spectrum of disease ranges from stroke to
myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysms and peripheral vascular insufficiency.
Patients suffering from one aspect of atherosclerotic disease will often have
asymptomatic lesions elsewhere. Most patients seen with vascular disease by the
internist or surgeon have a high prevalence of coronary artery disease, for
example, 40-70% of patients undergoing major vascular surgery without
clinically evident coronary artery disease will indeed have angiographically
demonstrable coronary artery stenosisl
. The coronary artery disease may be
dormant due to lack of exercise but will undoubtedly have an impact on the
management of patients. In patients undergoing vascular surgery coronary artery
disease contributes to both perioperative and late death.
The number of patients with vascular disease and concomitant coronary artery
disease is increasing as the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases increases with
age, and the population of Europe is aging rapidly. The number of people over
60 years of age in Europe will probably increase with more than 92 million to
224 million in the year 20252
•
Conventional testing in patients with vascular disease for coronary artery
disease by exercise stress tests is often impossible due to noncardiac disease.
Most patients are suffering from claudication or neurological disease.
Publication date
02/02/1994
Field of study
Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that may affect several blood vessels in
different organs simultaneously. The spectrum of disease ranges from stroke to
myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysms and peripheral vascular insufficiency.
Patients suffering from one aspect of atherosclerotic disease will often have
asymptomatic lesions elsewhere. Most patients seen with vascular disease by the
internist or surgeon have a high prevalence of coronary artery disease, for
example, 40-70% of patients undergoing major vascular surgery without
clinically evident coronary artery disease will indeed have angiographically
demonstrable coronary artery stenosisl
. The coronary artery disease may be
dormant due to lack of exercise but will undoubtedly have an impact on the
management of patients. In patients undergoing vascular surgery coronary artery
disease contributes to both perioperative and late death.
The number of patients with vascular disease and concomitant coronary artery
disease is increasing as the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases increases with
age, and the population of Europe is aging rapidly. The number of people over
60 years of age in Europe will probably increase with more than 92 million to
224 million in the year 20252
•
Conventional testing in patients with vascular disease for coronary artery
disease by exercise stress tests is often impossible due to noncardiac disease.
Most patients are suffering from claudication or neurological disease