Contemporary mortality due to acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina and exertional angina in a population in South East London.
BACKGROUND
Data on the contemporary mortality of coronary heart disease (CHD) are surprisingly sparse.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the contemporary mortality of all manifestations of CHD.


METHODS
Prospective follow-up of patients with a first presentation of CHD in a defined population.


METHODS
We studied 537 patients with a first presentation of acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina or new exertional angina in Bromley Health Authority, London (population 295,000). Patients were prospectively monitored for cardiac and non-cardiac mortality for a median of 6 years.


RESULTS
During a median 6 years follow-up, there were 88 (16%) deaths. Survival free from cardiac death was not significantly different between unstable angina (92%) and new exertional angina (94%), but was lower for acute myocardial infarction (84%).


CONCLUSIONS
Mortality from CHD appears to be falling. However, efforts to prevent myocardial infarction should continue to be a priority, because on-going early mortality remains high. New exertional angina should be diagnosed and managed promptly, as its mortality is similar to that of unstable angina.
Fox
K F
KF
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Imperial College London, London W6 8RF, UK. k.fox@imperial.ac.uk
Collier
T
T
Wood
D A
DA
Serhan
J
J
Sutcliffe
S
S
Akhras
F
F
Langford
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality*; D011446:Prospective Studies