DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF HIATUS HERNIA AND CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Abstract

IT IS THE purpose of this paper to emphasize the increasing incidence of hiatus hernia and coronary artery disease and to demonstrate that they may coexist, so that the presence of one condition does not exclude the other, and that by means of objective tests the presence of coronary disease can be ascertained and its relative importance properly evaluated. For those who wish to study the subject of hiatus hernia per se several earlier comprehensive reports should be consulted.¹ Although many use the terms hiatus hernia and diaphragmatic hernia interchangeably, in this report we will survey only herniation of the stomach through the esophageal opening of the diaphragm and not rupture through the diaphragm itself. The latter is far less common than hiatus hernia. The differential diagnosis of hiatus hernia and angina pectoris due to coronary disease is of paramount importance. The diagnosis of hiatus hernia has been made