Micro vascular angina

[Fifimyangel]

Does anyone have any experience with microvascular angina. My cardiologist suspects I have it and has booked me in for an angiogram.Can anyone tell me what symptoms they were having if they've got it.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello,

Over 10 years ago I was admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack.

I was presumed to have microvascular angina. I had a functional angiogram using a chemical, acetylcholine which showed that I have transient constrictions of my microvessels and coronary arteries, coronary vasospasms.

I have vasospastic angina along with microvascular angina.

I experience my chest pain and other symptoms at rest, especially during the night. I also feel as though my bra is too tight, chest pressure and tightness.

Microvascular angina can also be due to microvascular dysfunction. The small blood vessels of the heart don't work properly. The microvessels don't dilate or stay dilated in response to exercise and other extra demands.

The symptoms of microvascular angina tend to be breathlessness and chest pain on exertion. Microvascular angina is more common in women.

Microvascular and vasospastic angina are types of angina/ ischaemia non obstructive coronary arteries ANOCA/INOCA.

Up until recently microvascular and vasospastic angina were largely under recognised and diagnosed.

The BHF has some further information in their ' Understanding Angina ' booklet

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

At the end of the booklet there is a link to a website for people living with microvascular and vasospastic.

The BHF also has this information about microvascular angina.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

There are are quite a few forum members who live with microvascular and/or vasospastic angina who hopefully will be along to share their experiences with you too.

Has your Cardiologist said whether you will be having a functional angiogram where how your blood vessels work will be assessed?

[Fifimyangel in reply to Milkfairy]

Thankyou x

[Ennasti]

Hi, I’m newly diagnosed with vasospastic angina after my angiogram on Monday. I had the angio as my cardiologist also thought I may have microvascular angina as we knew my large arteries were clear.

My symptoms were chest tightness and my arrhythmias were being aggravated by it. It wasn’t terribly painful for me and I understand many get a lot of pressure and or pain - thankfully I don’t. I do get a lot of pin point pain on the left underside of my breast and occasional the right top side and it will be interesting to see if my new medications which are designed to help stop the pressure, also make the pin point pain disappear. It’s a bit like a stitch type pain but only for very short periods here and there and never when I’m exercising - only at rest! The same with the chest pressure

The angio was an interesting procedure and I felt what many must feel during a heart attack. The arteries spasmed before they injected me with anything and this time I felt chest tightness and pain up into my jaw. Then when they injected the stuff to provoke my arteries the pressure on my chest became incredibly intense! I could barely speak to let them know.

My vasospastic angina is apparently not connected to my current cardiac issues and is another issue on top. The cardiologist who performed the angio said it was much more common in women over 40 and I suspect it’s potentially linked to hormones in some cases. I hope your angio goes well.