[Echocardiographic findings of variant angina (author's transl)]

Two-dimensional echocardiographic studies of left ventricular wall motion were performed in three patients with ergonovine induced variant angina, who were diagnosed by electrocardiography and/or coronary angiography. The two-dimensional echocardiogram during anginal attack demonstrated hypokinesis or akinesis of the left ventricular wall where ischemia was suspected by the electrocardiogram. This change in the wall motion occurred earlier than that of the electrocardiogram, and the abnormal wall motion in ischemic region returned to normal earlier than the electrocardiographic recovery after the attack. In some cases non-ischemic region showed hypokinesis probably because ergonovine caused coronary artery narrowing in a whole region including spastic region. With relief of the chest pain and restoration of ST segment elevation in the electrocardiogram following nitroglycerin administration, the left ventricular wall tended to be hyperkinetic on the echocardiogram.