OBJETIVO: Avaliar se as pressões, medidas na raiz da aorta, são fatores de risco para doença aterosclerótica coronariana grave em mulheres com angina instável ou infarto agudo do miocárdio sem supradesnivelamento do segmento ST (AI/IAMSS). MÉTODO:As pressões, assim como os fatores de risco para doença arterial coronariana (DAC) foram prospectivamente coletados de março/1993 a agosto/2001 em 593 mulheres com diagnóstico de AI/IAMSS submetidas à cinecoronariografia. Lesões coronarianas definidas como graves estenoses > 70%. RESULTADOS: Idade média de 59,2±11,2 anos, significantemente mais alta nas pacientes com DAC: 61,9 ± 10,8 anos vs 56.4 ± 10,8 anos; tabagismo, diabetes e climatério foram mais freqüentes nas pacientes com DAC. As médias das pressões sistólica e arterial média foram iguais nos dois grupos, entretanto as médias das pressões diastólicas do ventrículo esquerdo (17.6 ± 8.7 x 15.1 ± 8.1, p=0.001) e da pressão de pulso aórtica foram significantemente maiores nas pacientes com DAC (75.5 ± 22 x 70 ± 19, p=0.002), enquanto a média da pressão diastólica aórtica foi significantemente mais alta nas pacientes sem DAC (75.3 ± 17.5 x 79.8 ± 16, p=0.003). Na análise multivariada a pressão de pulso > 80 mmHg e pressão sistólica > 165 foram independentemente associadas a DAC com razão de chance de 2.12 e 2.09, p<0.05, respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO: A doença arterial coronariana está associada à pressão de pulso mais elevada e pressão diastólica mais baixa em mulheres com AI/IAMSS. Embora a média da pressão sistólica não tenha se associado com DAC, valores dicotomisados de pressão de pulso > 80 mmHg e pressão sistólica > 165 mmHg determinaram risco duas vezes maior de lesão coronariana grave.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pressures assessed at the aortic root as risk factors for severe atherosclerotic coronary heart disease in women with unstable angina/compatible clinical history associated with increase in cardiac enzymes (total CPK and CK-MB) 2 times greater than the standard value used in the hospital, with the absence of new Q waves on the electrocardiogram (UA/NSTEMI). METHODS: Five hundred and ninety-three female patients with clinical diagnosis of UA/NSTEMI underwent cinecoronariography from March 1993 to August 2001, and the risk factors for CHD were studied. During examination the pressures, at the aortic root, and coronary obstructions were visually assessed by 2 interventional cardiologists, and those stenosis over 70% were considered severe. RESULTS: Eight-one per cent of the population was white and 18.3% was black. Mean age was 59.2±11.2 years, and it was significantly higher in patients with severe coronary lesions: 61.9 ± 10.8 years versus 56.4 ± 10.8 years; smoking, diabetes mellitus and climacteric were more frequent in patients with CHD. The average mean arterial pressure and mean systolic blood pressure was the same in both groups, however, average left ventricle diastolic pressure (17.6 ± 8.7 x 15.1 ± 8.1, p=0.001), and aortic pulse pressure were significantly greater in patients with CHD (75.5 ± 22 x 70 ± 19, p=0.002), while average aortic diastolic pressure was significantly greater in patients without CHD (79.8 ± 16 x 75.3 ± 17.5, p=0.003). In the multivariated analysis, pulse pressure > 80 mmHg and systolic blood pressure > 165 were independently associated with severe CHD with odds ratio of 2.12 and 2.09, p<0.05, respectively. CONCLUSION: CHD is associated with increased pulse pressure and lower diastolic blood pressure in women with UA/NSTEMI. Although average systolic blood pressure has not been associated with CHD in this population, dichotomized values of pulse pressure > 80 mmHg and systolic blood pressure > 165 mmHG determined risk two times greater of severe coronary disease.