Improved coronary artery flow after coronary angioplasty in patients with unstable angina

Background: Coronary artery flow is impaired after myocardial infarction bu t there is limited information regarding coronary now in unstable angina. Aim: To assess baseline coronary artery flow and the effects of coronary an gioplasty on coronary flow in patients with unstable angina. Methods: Twenty-one patients with unstable angina with a culprit lesion sui table for coronary angioplasty were enrolled in the study. Coronary flow wa s assessed with the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade and the Corrected TIMI Frame Count (CTFC) pre and post angioplasty. Results: Baseline now was impaired in the culprit artery compared to the no n culprit artery (42.0+/-28.1 vs 25.3+/-7.0 frames, p<0.02). Pre angioplast y coronary flow was TIMI grade 2 in 52% and TIMI grade 3 in 48% of patients . Post angioplasty flow improved with TIMI grade 2 flow in 5% and TIMI grad e 3 in 95%. After angioplasty coronary flow improved from 42.0+/-28.1 frame s to 21.6+/-16.3 (p=0.0001). The culprit coronary stenosis decreased hom 74 +/-9% pre angioplasty to 28+/-12% after intervention (p=0.0001). Conclusions: Angioplasty and stenting of the culprit vessel restores normal coronary flow in most patients with unstable angina. This suggests that im paired flow in unstable angina is predominantly related to the culprit lesi on residual stenosis.