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Myocardial bridging-an unusual cause of Wellens syndrome: A case report
Anamaria Avram1,2, Valentin Chioncel1,2, Suzana Guberna1,2
1Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
Insights
Myocardial bridging (MB) can cause chest pain mimicking acute coronary syndromes. This case shows MB presenting as Wellens syndrome, emphasizing ECG interpretation for non-atherosclerotic causes of ischemia.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Myocardial bridging (MB) is a congenital anomaly where a segment of a coronary artery tunnels through heart muscle.
- Severe MB can cause dynamic systolic compression, leading to myocardial ischemia and various cardiac events.
Observation:
- A 58-year-old woman presented with recurrent exertional chest pain.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) showed findings consistent with Wellens syndrome.
- Coronary angiography revealed subocclusive dynamic obstruction of the left anterior descending artery due to MB.
Findings:
- The patient was diagnosed with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS) secondary to MB.
- Conservative management with pharmacological therapy resulted in symptom resolution.
Implications:
- This case highlights MB as an uncommon cause of myocardial ischemia and ACS.
- Recognizing subtle ECG changes is crucial for diagnosing non-atherosclerotic causes of ACS.
- Considering MB in patients with unexplained ischemic symptoms improves diagnostic accuracy.
Rationale:
Coronary chest pain is usually ischemic in etiology and has various electrocardiographic presentations. Lately, it has been recognized that myocardial bridging (MB) with severe externally mechanical compression of an epicardial coronary artery during systole may result in myocardial ischemia. Such a phenomenon can be associated with chronic angina pectoris, acute coronary syndromes (ACS), coronary spasm, ventricular septal rupture, arrhythmias, exercise-induced atrioventricular conduction blocks, transient ventricular dysfunction, and sudden death.
Patient Concerns:
We report the case of a 58-year-old woman presenting with recurrent episodes of constrictive chest pain during exercise within the last 2 weeks. Except for obesity, general and cardiovascular clinical examination on admission were normal.
Diagnoses:
The resting 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed changes typically for Wellens syndrome. High-sensitive cardiac troponin I was normal. We established the diagnosis of low-risk non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome with a Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score of 92 points.
Interventions:
The patient underwent coronary angiography, who showed subocclusive dynamic obstruction of the left anterior descending artery due to MB.
Outcomes:
The patient was managed conservatively. Her hospital course was uneventful and she was discharged on pharmacological therapy (clopidogrel, bisoprolol, amlodipine, atorvastatin, and metformin) with well-controlled symptoms on followup.
Lessons:
MB is an unusual cause of myocardial ischemia. Wellens syndrome is an unusual presentation of ACS. We present herein a rare case of Wellens syndrome caused by MB. This case highlights the importance of subtle and frequently overseen ECG findings when assessing patients with chest pain and second, the importance of considering nonatherosclerotic causes for ACS.
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