Prinzmetal angina

[superhoulie]

After two heart attacks I've been diagnosed with prinzmetal angina have been taken off beta blockers and put on channel blockers

What is prinzmetal and is it worse when you have ischemic heart decease??

[Helen_BHF]

Hi superhoulie - Prinzmetal angina is more common in women and is caused by spasms in the coronary arteries when at rest. The BHF has some further information on this: bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo... really hope this helps.

[superhoulie in reply to Helen_BHF]

Thanks Helen for the reply

[kel55]

Hi, a more modern name has a coverall of microvascular disease MVD and a disease of Coronary Artery Spasms CAS, like you l have had two heart attacks, please dont let the uneducated say that its not a benign condition and that it is a womans disease. It can be just a womens disease when associated with menopause.

To get more relevant and indepth knowledge join a face book group called prinzemetal angina, if you dont post, reading other posts will give you a sounder back ground information

also start to ask your pharmasist if over the counter drugs are vasoconstictors or vasoditators before you take them, basically all we can take is paracetamol and opioids. Antihistomines and most if not all decongestants because they close or tighten arteries.

Dont get confussed by the word 'spasm' it is not the same spasm as a muscle twitch its the tightening of arteries which shuts off blood supply to anything down stream either completely or slightly, mainly your coronary arteries. you can however get it in other places, sometimes called raynauds and migraines or in the abdomen and intestines which is called intestinal angina.

Prinzemetal angina usually lasts longer than blockage angina and can be more painful, dependant upon the individual and severity. my trigers are sudden change and just because it wants to (usually early morning), it is worth keeping a diary to work out what your trigers are.

Taking you off betablockers was good but usually these are replaced by a calcium channel blocker as well as a nitrate. a general rule of thumb is calcium consticts (tightens) and nitrates dilate (relax's) arteries

Kelvin

[superhoulie in reply to kel55]

Thanks Kelvin for taking the time to reply much appreciated

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Superhoulie,

Kelvin has given you an in-depth description of his experience of living with coronary artery spasms aka Prinzmetal/ variant/vasospastic angina.

It effects the large coronary blood vessels. While Microvascular angina causes problems in the much smaller vessels.

They are usually 2 separate conditions but some of us are affected by both .

No one is quite sure why this condition develops. I first experienced my chest pain in my late twenties.

One theory is that it is due to the lining of the blood vessels ( endothelium) not working properly- Microvascular dysfunction.

People with blockages due to Coronary heart disease can also have Coronary artery spasms too and having both conditions can be an issue. My cardiologist has clearly told me he wants to prevent me developing Coronary heart disease.

I take statins and blood thinners as well as the calcium channel blockers and nitrates to treat my vasospastic angina.

I eat a Mediterranean diet and exercise as much as I can. I manage my stress with Meditation, Tai Chi and yoga.

Beta blockers can make in particular Coronary artery spasms worse however they can help people living with Microvascular angina....it's complicated!

My stressors are the cold any sudden drop in the temperature.

Mental and emotional stress

Beta blockers

Caffeine

Artificial sweeteners

Chorizo sausage

Cold remedies containing drugs that contain decongestants they constrict your blood vessels

Some local anaesthetics contain adrenaline which contrict your blood vessels too you must tell your dentist about your CAS

Finally Adrenaline is also used in to treat severe allergic shock. You need to be given adrenaline in these circumstances but you may end up with a severe episode of angina afterwards.

You may find this information helpful too.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...