Anyone suffer from Microvascular angina?

[Squash1961]

Hi All

It's been a while since I last posted, I'm now 6 months post HA with 2 stents, and doing well. The only problem I seem to have is an ongoing muscular ache across my chest that comes and goes. No problem during exercise (during any vasodilation activity) or in the mornings after sleeping. It tends to come on late in the day and early evening when I'm resting. After some strenuous lifting in the garden, it can be worse, but not always. I'm not stressed and have varied the times I take my meds, but doesnt seem to make any difference.

So my Cardiologist is not sure whether it is the drug interactions (I'm on the usual swag of post HA meds) or potentially microvascular angina??

Has anybody had or having a similar experience?

Thanks everyone

Squash

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi Squash1961

There are quite a few of us on the forum living with either Microvascular and or vasospastic angina.

The BHF have this information about Microvascular and Vasospastic angina.

I have also given you a link to a patient who had on going chest pain following open heart surgery who was diagnosed with Microvascular angina.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

It can be trial and error to find the best combination of medication that will treat your angina symptoms the best way possible.

You may find this article helpful.

One of the co authors is based in Adelaide in Australia Prof John Beltrame

interventions.onlinejacc.or...

[Squash1961 in reply to Milkfairy]

Thanks for the reply and links Milkfairy.

Ill have a read !

Regards

Squash

[Squash1961 in reply to Milkfairy]

Coincidentally I live in Adelaide ! maybe ill drop in on Prof Beltrame

[scotsrish]

Hello Squash i am at the 5 month mark for HA and two stents and after going through a couple of weeks of feeling pretty good along comes the chest pain...sometimes jabbing pain or hot cluster pain plus a burning erosion like in my throat and esophagus. It does not seem like exercise is bringing mine on either. Late afternoon and night. It is possible it is ghost pain..healing pains or more Brilanta side effects. I just know going back into our horrible local hospital has had me suffer this out for over a week and hey ! I am still here

[Squash1961 in reply to scotsrish]

Hi Scotsrish

Thanks for the reply and sorry to hear that you are having similar issues. It’s a really frustrating one, not knowing the cause. I used to have the sharp stabbing pains but they went a couple of months ago, so it’s the aching chest only now.

I’m also on Brilanta, which is a possible culprit but I was on them pre HA with no side effects so probably not.

Having read the links Milkfairy sent me, it’s seems more like vasospasm since this occurs mainly at rest, not during exercise. I had a follow up angiogram after 3 months and stents were fine with no signs of thrombus or stenosis in any other artery, maybe you could push for another angiogram just for reassurance if nothing else?

I’ve been given GTN spray, which I haven’t tried as yet during an episode.

Anyway, I’ll see how we go, I’m seeing the Cardiologist in another 3 weeks.

Good luck with your recovery !

Regards

Squash

[scotsrish in reply to Squash1961]

I wish i could push for an angio or mri but unfortunately where i live nothing is that easy and our medical is shameful. It took near eight weeks for an emergency echo- bicycle. You mentioned being on brilanta pre HA may i ask why? I thought it was for stents after HA.

[Squash1961 in reply to scotsrish]

Oops yes, sorry I meant statins (Crestor) not Brilanta (Ticagrelor) This is another possible culprit, but I'll be in the DAPT (Ticagrelor and Aspirin) for another 6 months to hopefully avoid re-stenosis.

Sorry to hear of the crappy health service you seem to be getting. Mine has been pretty good, even through Covid.

Good Luck

Squash

[Hatchjd]

I am a year out with 2 stents and have had similar intermittent episodes since they were placed. I do not notice it when walking, exercising or busy, only at rest and would describe it as a intermittent mild burning or ache across my chest wall, not a pressure or tightness. It has reduced in severity over the last 12 months. I have used NTG spray but cannot determine if it helps or not.

Sleeping on my left side and using my phone in bed when lying down seems to induce it but it occurs randomly. I have had a treadmill stress test & 24 hour monitor both normal and several medication adjustments. I am taking aspirin, bisoprolol 2.5, rosuvastatin 5mg and famotidine 20mg (Pepcid, Acid blocker) currently. I will see a GI consultant privately on Friday to schedule an upper endoscopy postponed due to covid. I do not have any other acid reflux symptoms other than the chest discomfort but hopefully this will help diagnose if it is a contributing factor or not.

[Squash1961 in reply to Hatchjd]

Thanks Hatchjd for sharing your condition. Let us know how you go with the GI since I’ve read that it could also be gastrointestinal related. Your symptoms are just about identical to mine. I’m still thinking vasospasm or MV angina. I haven’t used my GTN spray yet, I’ll give that a try next time it gets bad

Good luck

Squash

[Hatchjd in reply to Squash1961]

I have researched both of these and my symptoms don’t really fit with either.

I do think I had stent stretch pain following. I had a long 95% blockage of the LAD and have a 28mm stent and wonder if this is a factor in the discomfort.