[Early coronary atherosclerosis in a malignant pheochromocytoma. Apropos of a case]

An observation of adrenergic myocarditis with clinical and electrical signs of coronary failure is reported. The patient had electrical and enzymatic manifestations of acute anteroseptal necrosis, complicated at the acute stage by complete atrioventricular block and fatal vasoplegic circulatory collapse. Post-mortem examination showed obstructive atherosclerosis of the anterior interventricular artery without anatomic signs of infarction. Pathogenesis of this coronary failure is discussed. In this case, functional coronary insufficiency produced by catecholamine release was associated with coronary atherosclerosis.