| Abstract: | It has been established that coronary heart disease, as well as arterial hypertension, is one of the most frequent illnesses that accompany chronic obstructive lung diseases (COLD). Certain data suggest that COLD increase the risk of the development of cardiovascular pathology 2 to 3 times. The purpose of the study was to establish coronary heart disease (CHD) rate among patients with COLD, and to determine the peculiarities of CHD in this category of patients. The subjects were 116 patients with COLD (mean age 53.5 +/- 1.13 years). The authors also analyzed lethality in the Pulmonary division of the clinic, where 41 patients had died in 1998-2003. CHD was diagnosed in 31 (26.7%) patients. The results show that CHD rate in COLD patients older than 60 is 1.5 times higher than that in those younger than 60, and 2.3 times higher than that in those younger than 50. The patients with and without CHD demonstrate significant difference in the severity of COLD and obstructive syndrome. The leading cause of death in COLD patients was respiratory and circulatory failure; also noticed was high myocardial infarction rate among those patients. Autopsies revealed signs of coronary artery atherosclerosis in 7 out of 9 patients. The obtained data suggest that CHD development is a regular phenomenon in COLD patients, especially in those exposed to other CHD risk factors. The risk group consists of patients with severe COLD; their examination requires special attention paid to possible CHD symptoms and painless myocardial ischemia, for early diagnostics and beginning of antianginal therapy. |
