Its cause is different, and both a diagnosis and variant angina treatment tend to differ from classic angina.
This is one reason for why people should see a healthcare provider to determine the cause.
What Is Prinzmetal Angina?
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Angina is not always due to the blockages produced by typicalcoronary artery disease (CAD).
Sometimes angina can occur in people whose coronary arteries are entirely clear ofatherosclerotic plaques.
Prinzmetal angina, or variant angina, is because of such a spasm in a coronary artery.
Prinzmetal angina symptoms often lead people to believe they are having a heart attack.
This makes them more likely to seek medical help, which can lead to an earlier diagnosis.
The sooner this variant angina is diagnosed, the sooner it can be treated.
Who Gets Prinzmetal Angina?
Prinzmetal angina is more common in women than in men.
The autonomic nervous system may play a role as well.
Cocaine or amphetamines can also provoke Prinzmetal angina.
Endothelial dysfunction is also associated withcardiac syndrome x,Raynaud’s phenomenon, andmigraine headaches.
And as it turns out, people with Prinzmetal angina often are also migraine sufferers.
Nitrates usually relieve the spasm very quickly, returning the coronary artery back to normal.
In many cases, a person sees their healthcare provider after the angina has gone away.
Sometimes, a procedure called cardiac catheterization with provocative testing is necessary to make a diagnosis.
This test is especially useful in people who have frequent episodes of severe Prinzmetal angina.
It tends not to be nearly as useful in those whose episodes are more sporadic or infrequent.
Acetylcholine and ergonovine are two drugs often used to attempt to induce coronary spasm during a cardiac catheterization.
This kind of testing yields a correct diagnosis more reliably than the hyperventilation test.
Testing with acetylcholine is considered safer than testing with ergonovine and is the preferred invasive provocative test.
This localized spasm can be seen during the catheterization procedure.
The bang out of arrhythmia provoked depends on which coronary artery is involved.
For example, if the right coronary artery is involved, it could cause a heart block.
If the left anterior descending artery is involved, it might result inventricular tachycardia.
While heart attacks are uncommon with Prinzmetal angina, they can occur and produce permanent heart muscle damage.
Adequate treatment of Prinzmental angina greatly reduces the risk of such complications.
Calcium channel blockersare often the first line agent used for vasospastic angina treatment.
If additional medication is required, a nitrate may be added to a calcium channel blocker.
Recent data suggest that statins can help to prevent coronary artery spasm.
Be aware that some drugs can lead to a coronary artery spasm.
Generally, you should avoid manybeta-blockers, and some migraine drugs like Imitrex (sumatriptan).
Aspirin should be used with caution, as it may exacerbate vasospastic angina.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some causes are known, such as smoking, cocaine use, and alcohol.
The increased use of legalized marijuana also may trigger variant angina.
There are many other causes under study, including chemotherapy drugs that can cause vascular endothelial damage and dysfunction.
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