Chest pain caused by myocardial ischemia or not: sometimes the old handgrip test can solve the dilemma

Giovanni Minardi; Giordano Zampi; Amedeo Pergolini; Gaetano Pero; Francesca Moschella Orsini

doi:10.1016/j.cjca.2011.12.007

Chest pain caused by myocardial ischemia or not: sometimes the old handgrip test can solve the dilemma

Can J Cardiol. 2012 Jul-Aug;28(4):515.e7-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2011.12.007. Epub 2012 Feb 25.

Authors

Giovanni Minardi¹, Giordano Zampi, Amedeo Pergolini, Gaetano Pero, Francesca Moschella Orsini

Affiliation

¹ Department of Cardiovascular Science, S. Camillo-Forlanini, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 22366507
DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2011.12.007

Abstract

We describe the case of a patient with typical chest pain but negative maximal bicycle exercise-electrocardiogram test and for whom significant coronary artery disease was hypothesized by a positive handgrip exercise test and demonstrated by coronary angiography. Despite negative exercise stress test, handgrip as well as other provocative tests have to be considered when the pretest probability of coronary artery disease is intermediate and the symptoms are typical for angina.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary
Chest Pain / etiology*
Chest Pain / physiopathology
Chest Pain / therapy
Coronary Angiography
Coronary Artery Disease / diagnosis*
Coronary Artery Disease / physiopathology
Coronary Artery Disease / therapy
Coronary Vasospasm / diagnosis*
Coronary Vasospasm / physiopathology
Coronary Vasospasm / therapy
Diagnosis, Differential
Drug-Eluting Stents
Electrocardiography
Exercise Test
Hand Strength / physiology*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Myocardial Ischemia / diagnosis*
Myocardial Ischemia / physiopathology
Myocardial Ischemia / therapy
Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
Sympathetic Nervous System / physiopathology