An Assessment of CAD Risk Factors and Comparing Conventional Coronary Angiography with Exercise Test as Two Diagnostic Tests

Bachground and Objective: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and also worldwide. Knowing risk factors and underlying causes is a major step in prevention of cardiovascular disease.Conventional coronary angiography and exercise test are two trendy methods for diagnosing CAD. Conventional coronary angiography is the gold standard test with high specificity and sensitivity, and exercise test is a non-invasive prognostic and diagnostic test. Due to high prevalence of CAD plus high priority of it’s soon diagnosis, we need an accurate and reliable, yet economically-affordable-screening-test .Study goal is determining major cardiovascular risk factors, and comparing exercise test specificity and sensitivity with conventional coronary angiography (gold standard test). Matherials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on a population of 384 patients who had hypertension disease and attended exercise test center of Shariati Hospital of Isfahan. Patient consents were necessary for continuing tests at any stage. At first, Patients underwent exercise test (according to the Bruce protocol) and during test ECG and blood pressure were monitored. Those who had positive exercise test were chosen for conventional coronary angiography. Finally, those who had positive conventional coronary angiography were diagnosed as definite CAD patients. The results of exercise test were used to determine its specificity and sensitivity in comparison to conventional coronary angiography results.In addition, we gathered some information on risk factors of cardiovascular disease via questionnaire survey which was filled by patients. All data were analyzed using spss version 22. Findings: The average age of 384 tested patients was 59.9. Participant sex ratio was 64.3 % male and 35.7 % female. According to coronary angiography results, 80.8% were diagnosed as definite CAD patients. The major underlying causes are diabetes mellitus (54.2%), obesity (38.3%), and dyslipidemia (41.7%), and family history (56%), smoking) 40/9% ( .Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of exercise test are respectively 79% and 64% compared to coronary angiography test.Conclusion: There are some CAD risk factors which affect one gender more, but on the whole, obesity and family history deserve so much attention in both gender .Considering pros and cons of exercise test, its specificity and sensitivity are acceptable as a non-invasive diagnostic approach. So we recommend it as a screen test for finding CAD patients.

کلیدواژه ها:

exercise test ، coronary angiography ، cardiovascular diseases ، coronary artery disease