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Can Significant Coronary Artery Disease Coexist With Transient Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, and How Does Spasm
Paolo Angelini1, Carlo Uribe1, Philip A Salem2
1Center for Clinical Research, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, Texas.
Insights
Metastatic breast cancer treatment led to chest pain and ST-segment elevation in an 86-year-old woman. Sublingual nitroglycerin resolved coronary artery spasm and takotsubo cardiomyopathy, suggesting chemotherapy may induce these cardiac events.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Metastatic breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy are at risk for cardiac complications.
- Chemotherapy-induced endothelial dysfunction can increase coronary artery spasticity.
Abstract:
An 86-year-old woman being treated for metastatic breast cancer developed severe chest pain at rest during a follow-up visit at a hospital's outpatient oncology clinic. An electrocardiogram showed severe ST-segment elevation. The patient was given sublingual nitroglycerin and was transferred to the emergency department. Diagnostic coronary angiography revealed moderate coronary artery disease with calcific stenoses and transient spastic occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. For this patient, sublingual nitroglycerin aborted the spastic event and apparent transient takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Chemotherapy can potentially cause endothelial dysfunction and increased coronary spasticity, which could result in takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
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