The state of coronary arteries in perimenopausal women with chest pain.

Background: The goal of the study was to assess the state of coronary arteries in perimenopausal women undergoing examination before prescription of hormonal replacement therapy.

Methods: One hundred ninety-three patients were screened, and 43 of them were selected for inclusion to the study. Pretest probability of coronary heart disease (CHD) was 47% for patients with typical angina pain and 20.5% with atypical pain. Patients with typical and atypical pain syndromes had no essential differences in terms of age, but had different hormonal status assessed by follicle stimulating hormone level and different menopause durations.

Results: Atherosclerotic lesion causing luminal occlusion by more than 50% was detected in 13 (61.9%) patients with typical pain syndrome and in eight (36.4%) patients with atypical pain syndrome manifestations. Numbers of patients with intact coronary arteries were six (28.6%) and 10 (45.5%) in groups with typical and atypical pain syndrome, respectively. Myocardial bridges were found in five (23.8%) patients with typical pain syndrome and seven (31.8%) patients with atypical manifestations.

Conclusion: In spite of modest pretest CHD probability in the group with typical pain syndrome and low pretest CHD probability in the group with atypical manifestations, patients with major atherosclerotic lesions were detected in both groups. Use of this approach to assessment of the state of coronary arteries allows detecting patients at high risk of cardiovascular complications and avoiding the use of hormonal replacement therapy in them.