Key Points
- To reexamine the pathophysiology, angiographic features, and clinical presentation of Prinzmetal's variant angina in light of evidence demonstrating coronary artery spasm.
- Reviewed historical postmortem examinations, angiographic findings, and clinical documentation of patients presenting with variant angina.
- Analyzed transient electrocardiographic changes, specifically ST-segment elevation, during resting ischemic chest pain episodes.
- Identified coronary artery spasm as the primary physiological mechanism responsible for transient resting chest pain attacks accompanied by ST-segment elevation.
- Demonstrated that variant angina manifests across diverse anatomical states, ranging from severe fixed single-vessel stenosis to angiographically normal coronary arteries.
Structured PICO
PPopulationPatients with Prinzmetal's variant angina
Prinzmetal's variant angina, caused by coronary artery spasm, can present in patients with either severe single-vessel disease or angiographically normal coronary arteries.