Anxiety will be assessed from two aspects, the somatic and emotional. ANGST aims to determine how anxiety correlates with psychological parameters (personality traits, coping strategies and depressive symptoms) and with the outcome of elective coronary angiography (CA).

This research is a prospective cross-section study of patients undergoing elective CA. Research design will allow studying anxiety at four timepoints and its correlation with CA outcome and psychological parameters. This study will be conducted at the Coronary care unit of the department of Cardiology, General and Teaching Hospital Celje, Slovenia.

Data regarding prior to CA, during hospital stay and after discharge variables will be collected in order to control for confounding variables when testing the association between anxiety and psychological parameters. All the data needed for this study will be collected within one month from the patient enrollment in this study at four occasions: (1) 14 days prior CA - all patients will receive questionnaires by post, (2) on the day of the admission, 2-4 hours before CA, (3) 24 hours after CA, but prior to discharge and (4) 4-6 weeks after discharge. Clinical and demographical data will be collected from medical records. Data regarding anxiety and other psychological parameters will be assessed using standardized questionnaires. These will be sent to the patient together with covering letter providing instructions to complete the questionnaires 14 days prior CA without help of family members/friends. A month after CA, the questionnaires for anxiety and depressive symptoms will be sent to participants address with reply paid envelope provided.

The Republic of Slovenia National Medical Ethics Committee has approved this study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• invited to elective CA because of suspected/unknown: coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, heart failure etiology, unexplained arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy etiology;
• written consent;
• completed first set of questionnaires 14 days prior to coronary angiography

Exclusion Criteria:

• need for an urgent coronary angiography,
• coronary angiography in last 6 months,
• unable to provide written consent,
• severe physical and/or mental disease/disability,
• help needed in completing the questionnaires,
• unsigned consent form,
• incomplete first set of questionnaires 14 days prior to coronary angiography.

Patients who are invited to elective coronary angiography due to suspected/unknown: coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, heart failure etiology, unexplained arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathy etiology.