Progress of Coronary Artery Disease: Compliance to Therapy

From a sample of 1,824 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) at the time of their interview, 827 males (M) and 251 females (F), had at least one distinct recurrence of their disease—some type of angina (A) or myocardial infarction (MI). In these patients, the age and type of CAD at the first and second manifes tations (MSs) were noted, together with the patient's compliance to pre scribed therapy. The first MF of CAD in Ms was A in 61% at the age of 59.4±10.15 years and MI in 39% at a significantly younger age (54.4±10.54 years, p < 0.001). In Ms with A, the second MF was again A in 39% at the age of 61.4±10.14 years and MI in 61% at 62.1±10.2 years. In Ms with MI, the second MF was A in 85% at 56.5±10.52 years and MI in 15% at 59.2±12.0 years. No statis tical difference was found between patients with good or poor compli ance to therapy in connection with the time of the second MF as A or MI. A significantly lower percentage of MI after A, as the first MF, was found in patients with good compli ance (55%) than in patients with poor compliance (69%, p < 0.01). In Fs the first MF was A in 88% at 61.6±9.82 years and MI in 12% at 58.1±9.1 years (p < 0.05). The second MF for all F patients was MI in 48% at 65.4±10.02 years, compared with A in 52% at the age of 64.5±9.78 years. Conclusions: In Ms a rather quick (≅2.5 years) progression of CAD is expected after its initial MF mainly as A (≅ 61 %), and in these, MI as the second MF is more common in pa tients with poor compliance to ther apy. In Fs there is a delayed first MF mainly as A (≅90%) and a delayed second MF as A and MI in equal pro portion.