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Clin. Cardiol. 23, 221–225 (2000)
Masashi Horimoto, M.D., Keiichi Igarashi, M.D., Takashi Takenaka, M.D., Hitoki Inoue, M.D., Kohko Yamazaki, M.D., Hitoshi Sakuragi, M.D.
Division of Cardiology, Sapporo National Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
Summary: Diagnosis of coronary microvascular spasm remains largely speculative because it has been mostly based on chest pain and electrocardiographic ST-segment shift with slow filling of contrast medium into the coronary artery. A patient with resting chest pain and normal coronary angiograms underwent provocative tests with intracoronary acetylcholine (ACh) and ergonovine. During the tests, coronary diameter and flow velocity in the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery were measured with quantitative coronary angiography and intracoronary Doppler guide wire, respectively. Vascular resistance of the LAD and lactate production were determined separately. With injections of 100 µg of ACh and 20 µg of ergonovine, chest pain occurred with ST-segment elevation in the precordial leads in the absence of epicardial coronary spasm. Coronary vascular resistance increased by 2.2- and 1.6-fold of the baseline value with ACh and ergonovine, respectively. Myocardial lactate production was noted during the ST-segment elevation. Coronary microvascular spasm was verified by the increment in coronary vascular resistance and myocardial lactate production with concomitant ST-segment elevation in the presence of normal coronary angiograms.
Key words: coronary microvascular spasm, acetylcholine, ergonovine, coronary vascular resistance, ST-segment elevation
Address for reprints:
Masashi Horimoto, M.D.
Division of Cardiology
Sapporo National Hospital
Kikusui 4-2, Shiroishi Ward
Sapporo 003-0804, Japan
Received: February 25, 1999
Accepted with revision: May 26, 1999