You might develop stable angina, also known as stable angina pectoris, also known as stable chest pain, during stress, exercise, or cold weather. Stable angina pectoris probably is a warning sign that you have coronary artery disease (CAD). How is stable angina pectoris diagnosed? Your doctor will do a physical exam and many tests. The main test will be standard coronary angiography, also known as invasive coronary angiography.

An important clinical trial was published in the year 2022. This clinical trial compared CT coronary angiography with standard coronary angiography (invasive coronary angiography), as a first diagnostic step. This clinical trial included 3561 patients of both sexes.

The two procedures were equal in diagnostic power. The risk of major adverse cardiovascular events was similar in the CT coronary angiography group and the invasive coronary angiography group. However, the frequency of major procedure-related complications was lower in the CT coronary angiography group.

Therefore, CT coronary angiography can be used as the initial test to find out whether coronary artery disease is present or not. Furthermore, the results suggest that CT coronary angiography is especially attractive for female patients with stable angina pectoris. The frequency of major procedure-related complications was lower in women than on average in this clinical trial.