Microvascular angina?

Can this be ruled out by a nuclear perfusion stress test?

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Flyingcarpet

The short answer is no.

There are thought to be several causes of Microvascular angina MVA.

One type is due to the inability of the small blood vessels to dilate in response to extra demands on the circulation such as exercise

Microvascular dysfunction.

My specialist at St Thomas's has just produced some research about using an angiogram with adenosine and a static cycle to diagnose this type of MVA.

The other way is through a perfusion MRI.

Neither of these techniques will pick up MVA due to the temporary narrowing of the small blood vessels due to constrictions or vasospasms.

The definitive test for coronary vasospastic angina causing microvascular angina and / or coronary artery spasms is an angiogram with acetylcholine.

This test is only offered in a very few places in the UK.

The BHF has this information about MVA .

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Hidden in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you for your swift reply. I am feeling very confused, as my perfusion scan was 'negative ' which seems to indicate that all is well, but I still need further investigations. What they might be I have no idea, nor how long it will take to be seen, but clearly a long time in this current situation.

In the meantime, I am trying to be optimistic, while knowing that something is wrong. I am not in terrible pain, but I am worried about how it might progress and how it might impact on other vital organs.

I feel that I may have been the author of my own destruction by resisting statins for the last ten years and now the consequences have started to become apparent.

Yes, my imagination is running away with me...

Thank you for your help

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Hidden]

The current situation is not helping any of us at present.

We have perhaps too much time to let as you say our imagination run away with us.

I hope you get your answers as soon as the present health crisis is over.

Stay safe and stay well.

I am now off into my garden to pot up my tomato seedlings

[Hidden in reply to Milkfairy]

Sorry to keep pestering, but I saw in your reply to someone else that you can't take beta blockers for your angina. I find that interesting because I was started on them last July when my afib was diagnosed, and it's since then that my chest pain became an issue. I'm trying to search online for relevant information on this but no luck so far. Would you be able to direct me to a helpful site?

Many thanks for your help

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Hidden]

Hi

I live with coronary vasospastic angina. I have vasospasms in my small and large blood vessels. Temporary transient narrowing of my blood vessels due to constrictions a bit like colic!

Beta blockers are well known to make coronary artery spasms worse.

Beta blockers are however very helpful for those with Atrial Fibrillation and angina due to permanent narrowing of their coronary arteries.

I suggest you keep a diary of your symptoms and then discuss your symptoms with your Cardiologist at your next visit.

[Hidden in reply to Milkfairy]

My arteries fine, which is why I am perplexed. Sorry to have bothered you, I am keeping a log

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Hidden]

We are living in uncertain times and not knowing why you have your chest pain is just adding to the uncertainty.

All our usual ports of call are closed with very little access to our GPs or Cardiologists.

My next Cardiology appointment is by phone we all seem to be in limbo will ' normal' service ever be resumed?

Perhaps give the BHF helpline a call and speak to one of the Cardiac Nurses?

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

I hope you feel less perplexed soon and get the answers you need.

[Hidden in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you, and I hope you will keep as well as possible yourself