Microvascular angina in a patient with aortic stenosis

Jpn Circ J. 2001 Sep;65(9):839-41. doi: 10.1253/jcj.65.839.

Abstract

A 39-year-old woman had exercise-induced ST segment depression associated with chest pain. Cardiac evaluation revealed moderate aortic stenosis (AS), related to the bicuspid valves, with an aortic mean pressure gradient of 22 mmHg, a calculated aortic valve area of 1.3 cm2 and normal left ventricular (LV) peak systolic and end-diastolic pressures, but no LV hypertrophy, resulting in normal LV wall stress. Although the coronary arteries were angiographically normal, rapid atrial pacing and an intracoronary papaverine injection revealed a significantly decreased coronary flow reserve (CFR), which may have played an important role in the pathogenesis of angina pectoris in this patient. Though the CFR is usually decreased in patients with AS, as well as in microvascular angina, in this particular case, it appeared to have decreased as a consequence of microvascular dysfunction rather than of AS-related mechanisms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / pathology*
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / physiopathology
  • Coronary Vessels / pathology
  • Coronary Vessels / physiopathology
  • Electrocardiography
  • Exercise
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Microvascular Angina / etiology*
  • Microvascular Angina / pathology
  • Microvascular Angina / physiopathology
  • Papaverine / administration & dosage
  • Regional Blood Flow
  • Vasodilator Agents / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Papaverine