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Int J Angiol 1993; 2(2): 82-88
DOI: 10.1007/BF02651564
Original Articles

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Vasotonic acute myocardial infarction: Experience with eight cases

Tali Bashour
  • The Western Heart Institute, St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco; The San Francisco Heart Institute at Seton Hospital, Daly City; and The University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Presented at the 34th Annual Congress, International College of Angiology, Budapest, Hungary, July 1992
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Publication History

Publication Date:
22 April 2011 (online)

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Abstract

Eight patients (6 women, 2 men) who suffered acute myocardial infarction believed to be primarily due to excessive coronary arterial vascular tone were observed over a five-year period. Infarction was subendocardial in 4 and transmural in 4. It was preceded by unusually stressful situations in 5 patients. Coronary angiograms appeared normal in 5 patients and showed segmental spasm in 1, generalized spasm in 1, and spasm plus thrombus in 1. Ventricular function was normal in 4 patients, whereas 3 had segmental dysfunction, and 1 had ventricular aneurysm. Postinfarction angina continued in 3 patients and was controlled by nitrates and calcium channel blockers in all. It is concluded that severe coronary spasm may cause acute myocardial infarction. Severe stress, female sex, and excessive “outpouring” of endogenous catecholamines may predispose to this event.