Is coronary artery calcification increased in patients with COPD and associated with increased morbidity and mortality?
Patients with COPD have more CAD than controls and this is associated with increased dyspnoea, reduced exercise capacity and increased mortality. These data indicate that the presence of CAD in patients with COPD is associated with poor clinical outcomes.
Although ST elevation in V3R/V4R can be present in patients with left anterior descending artery occlusion, it does not seem to predict the prognosis. Lower left ventricular ejection fraction in this group may play a role in the long-term prognosis; however, this issue needs further investigation.