Background: We investigated whether the improvement in endothelial function, measured using flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), an important predictor of cardiovascular outcomes, was comparable in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) versus stable angina patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and a six-month cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programme.
Methods: We analysed the results from 119 patients who completed a six-month CR programme after successful PCI for stable angina (n = 50) and ACS (n = 69).
Results: After six months of CR, the results of FMD were significantly improved in both groups. There were no significant between-group differences in the FMD results at the six-month follow up.
Conclusions: After successful PCI and a six-month CR programme, FMD values were equally improved in both stable angina and ACS patients.
Keywords: coronary disease; endothelial function; exercise training.