Prinzmetal Angina and pressure wire guided stent placement ?

[Quovadisuk]

Hi all , In short I have had two stents fitted two years back, but slowly started getting pains in the chest and arms when asleep or at rest , but nothing when exerting myself ie working hard, lifting etc ... I have had a letter from the cardiologist today to say this may well be prinzmetal angina or variant angina . The log I kept with dates times and symptoms seem to mirror this type of angina perfectly .

The proposal is to undertake a pressure wire guided stent placement ?

I have read around what the pressure wire guided element seems to be ie measure blood pressures before and after the existing stents with a very sensitive probe , to detect any pressure drops, but cant seem to see if they do find a drop in pressure are the new stents fitted inside the older existing stents, or after them ?

Has anyone had this done or can shed some light on things at all ? and are the risks greater this time than before when I had the previous stent procedure undertaken ?

Kind regards

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi

I live with vasospastic angina the term that is being adopted rather than Variant or Prinzmetal Angina which is not the term used by Cardiologist researching into this type of angina.

I have spasms in my Coronary arteries and microvessels.

It is encouraging that the possibility that intermittent spasms are causing your problems has been recognised.

The gold standard test for Vasospastic angina is an angiogram with acytelcholine.

Prof Colin Berry and his team in Glasgow have just published the findings of his CorMicA research a BHF funded study.

Perhaps ask your Cardiologist to have a look at this research

mdedge.com/cardiology/artic...

[Chappychap in reply to Milkfairy]

"Prof Colin Berry and his team in Glasgow have just published the findings of his CorMicA research a BHF funded study."

What an amazing organisation the BHF is, I understand they're investing well over £100m every year in cutting edge research such as this.

[Hidden in reply to Milkfairy]

" vasospastic angina the term that is being adopted rather than Variant or Prinzmetal Angina which is not the term used by Cardiologist"

I don't personally see why Cardiology would not still use Prinzmetal. (I don't mean to be rude or anything) Many conditions are named after the doctors who first found the condition.

Nobody (i.e. patients/laypersons) would like the medical term like "vasospastic" except a few, who are used to/familiar with "medical jargons". I must look up the history behind "Prinzmetal" now the topic came up.

[Hidden]

I quite agree (Great work, indeed, by BHF!) but I'm curious as to how many people had received this special procedure in England. The cardiologist I had seen of late was very 'anti' of this 'risky' procedure. He was vocally dismissive. BHF's work is next to none, highly innovative. I do so admire the superior work that other health charities cannot even begin to compare, one must add.

It would be easy to imagine, MF had gone on for many years before MF was able to access this special test, not a straightforward journey, I am guessing!

I had seen an article (that I handed to the Cardiologist) that the procedure would be rolled out, nationally. Likely, not in my lifetime.