Spontaneous dissections of coronary arteries and acute coronary syndromes: rationale and design of the DISCOVERY, a multicenter prospective registry with a case-control group.

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an unusual cause of acute myocardial ischemia that in almost 50% of cases is followed by sudden death. The increasing frequency of SCAD diagnosis may reflect the widespread use of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The incidence of SCAD is estimated between 0.

Concomitant peripheral vascular and coronary artery disease: a new dimension for the global endovascular specialist?

Background: Early and accurate diagnosis of peripheral atherosclerosis is of paramount importance for global ma agement of patients with known coronary artery disease (CAD).

Hypothesis: We sought to evaluate retrospectively the prevalence and clinical relevance of significant abdominal vessel stenosis or aneurysm (AVA) in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Methods: Medical records of consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography at two public institutions over a 12-month period were evaluated.