Chest pain and coronary artery disease in cardiac amyloidosis: Prevalence, mechanisms, and clinical implications

Amyloidosis is a systemic disease affecting multiple organs, and often presents with cardiac involvement, with 2 primary underlying pathologies: amyloid light chain- and transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis. Chest pain can occur in both types with variable clinical presentations. This narrative review describes the relationship between cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and chest pain. A PubMed search (June 03. 2024) identified 393 articles related to chest pain in CA. Twenty-eight studies, in English and with full text, were selected. Articles included were case reports, reviews, perfusion- and autopsy studies. In CA patients 10%-20% report chest pain as the initial symptom preceding the diagnosis, and the overall prevalence of chest pain is 38% of patients with CA and it is related to an increased risk of heart failure hospitalization. The mechanisms leading to chest pain in CA patients include increased left ventricular diastolic pressure, infiltration of amyloid fibrils inside and around coronary arteries, and amyloid compression of the microvasculature. The mechanisms commonly lead to elevations of plasma troponin levels, which are higher in amyloid patients with chest pain compared to amyloid patients without chest pain. Symptomatic treatment of chest pain can be challenging due to the low tolerability of medical therapy and poor outcomes of coronary interventions in alleviating the pain and with a higher rate of complications. Our review underscores the importance of recognizing chest pain as a CA symptom, particularly in the elderly. Persistent troponin elevation without coronary artery disease could indicate CA. Screening-based and longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding the relationship between chest pain and CA. Acknowledging the significance of chest pain in CA may facilitate early intervention and improve patient outcomes.