[Exercise-induced coronary artery spasm. Angiographic demonstration and results of medical treatment]

This report describes a case of a patient with a history of classical angina of effort which developed into an unstable progressive syndrome. A 42-year-old-woman was admitted to the hospital because of resting angina pectoris. Examination revealed signs of septal subepicardial ischemia in the resting electrocardiogram and a positive ergometric test with marked depression of the S-T segment. Hemodynamic studies showed in the ventriculogram a clearly defined area of hypokinesis on the anterolateral segment of the ventricle and the coronariography revealed normal vessels. During exercise the patient developed anginal pain and an elevation of the S-T segment in a lead II electrocardiogram. During the pain episode, selective left and right coronariographies showed the presence of a severe spasm in the first portion of the anterior descending branch. In the course of one of the injections the patient developed ventricular fibrillation, this was reverted with a 400 watts/sec shock. The patient was discharged from the hospital a few days after and has been successfully treated with nitrates and calcium blocking agents. This case represents the first time that a coronary spasm in normal vessels has been adequately documented by us.