Abstract
A unique case of ‘variant’ angina pectoris has been observed in a patient with normal coronary arteries and typical chest pain appearing spontaneously at rest, and repeatedly provoked by ergonovine maleate (0.1 mg iv) associated with large transmural perfusion defects on 201Tl-imaging (after ergonovine) and a marked increase in T wave voltage despite no demonstrable spasm of a major coronary artery after the same doses of ergonovine. While saline solution could not provoke chest pain and treatment with a beta-blocking agent increased the frequency of ischemic attacks, a calcium antagonist therapy reduced and eventually eliminated the attacks. Thus, this case provides evidence for yet another aspect of a ‘variant’ form of angina pectoris: small vessel coronary artery spasm.
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Pfisterer, M., Müller-Brand, J., Cueni, T. et al. ‘Variant’ angina: Evidence for small vessel coronary artery spasm?. Eur J Nucl Med 5, 529–533 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00252044
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00252044