Coronary vasospasm and aborted sudden death treated with an implantable defibrillator and stenting.
In selected patients suffering from variant angina, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and coronary stenting can be helpful to prevent sudden death and treat coronary artery spasm. We report a case of a 47-year-old woman suffering from variant angina, who experienced an episode of ventricular fibrillation promptly cardioverted. After coronary angiography documentation of a mild atherosclerosis, an ICD was implanted and oral nitrates and calcium antagonists were prescribed. The recurrence of chest pain and palpitations prompted us to perform a second coronary angiography that documented a focal coronary artery spasm successfully treated with stent implantation. No other episodes of angina or ventricular arrhythmia were documented during the following 6 months of follow-up.
Fiocca
Luigi
L
Department of Cardiology, Multimedica Hospital, Sesto San Giovanni, MI, Italy. luigifiocca@yahoo.com
Di Biasi
Maurizio
M
Bruno
Nicola
N
Ciuffreda
Matteo
M
Zumbo
Francesco
F
Mangiameli
Daniele
D
Montenero
Annibale Sandro
AS
D000788:Angina Pectoris, Variant / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003329:Coronary Vasospasm / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015607:Stents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin