Chronic renal failure (CRF) is one of the risk factors of a worse outcome for patients with coronary artery disease. However, few studies have assessed the outcome in such patients. This study investigated the clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and prognosis for patients with angina pectoris accompanied by CRF and evaluated the validity of current treatment strategy for these patients. A total of 593 patients (248 with stable angina and 345 with unstable angina) admitted to our institution were studied. Renal failure was defined as serum creatinine of > or = 2.0 mg/dl. Patients were divided into 2 groups, with renal failure (46 patients) and without renal failure (547 patients), and the former group was further divided into 2 groups with hemodialysis (26 patients) and without hemodialysis (20 patients). The mean follow-up period was 2.5 +/- 1.2 years and the follow-up rate was 99%. The prevalences of congestive heart failure (26% vs 3%, p < 0.001), hypertension (72% vs 45%, p < 0.005), and multivessel coronary artery disease (65% vs 33%, p < 0.001) were higher in patients with CRF. The left ventricular end-diastolic volume was greater in patients with CRF than in patients without CRF (114 +/- 36 vs 85 +/- 24 ml/m2, p < 0.001). The calcification score of both coronary arteries and abdominal aorta evaluated by electron-beam computed tomography was higher in patients with CRF (2,187 +/- 2,727 vs 631 +/- 841, p = 0.03; 4,091 +/- 3,068 vs 2,191 +/- 2,249, p = 0.02, respectively). In-hospital cardiac mortality was higher in patients with CRF than in patients without CRF (8.7% vs 0.7%, p < 0.001). The cumulative survival was 88% at 1 year and 65% at 3 years in patients with CRF and 99% and 97% in patients without CRF, respectively (p < 0.001). The incidence of re-hospitalization due to congestive heart failure was higher in patients with CRF (19% vs 1.3%, p < 0.0001). The cumulative survival in CRF was 93% at 1 year, 57% at 3 years in the medical treatment group and 87% and 75% in the invasive therapy group, respectively (p = 0.1). Patients with angina pectoris and CRF had a poor prognosis under the current treatment strategy. Newly developed therapeutic strategies, such as rotational atherectomy, minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery and combinations, will be necessary to improve the long-term prognosis for these patients.