INTRODUCTION Cardiac arrhythmia is sometimes life-threatening, and automated external defibrillators are presently used in some countries. Coronary artery spasm is one of the primary causes of life-threatening arrhythmia. In general, chest symptoms are key indicators of possible coronary artery spasm; however, if chest symptoms are not present, clinicians may not suspect this disease. We encoun...

Spontaneous coronary artery vasospasm is one of the important causes of acute chest pain syndromes. The diagnosis of diffuse multifocal spasm can be quite challenging and it could be easily mistaken for diffuse coronary artery disease. The use of intracoronary nitroglycerin can relieve spasm and reveal the real extent of coronary artery disease. Herein we present a case presenting with acute my...

Of 552 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty 102 had coronary artery spasm superimposed on atherosclerotic narrowing. Coronary angioplasty was successful in 97 (95%). The patients were discharged on a regimen of nifedipine (40-60 mg/day). Seventy six patients were symptom free 6-8 months after the procedure. Restenosis was detected in 35% of patients. Coronary arter...

OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to examine the relationship between provoked coronary spasm and clinical course in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). BACKGROUND Coronary spasm has a pathogenetic role in the occurrence of AMI and progressive atherosclerosis. There is no report that focused on the prognostic significance of provoked coronary spasm in AMI patients. METHODS Ou...