Coronary vasospasm: a cause of sudden death. Case report of reversible heart arrest with spontaneous coronary spasm documented by angiography
Guénot, O.; Pellet, J.; Terraube, P.; Grosclaude, G.; Couche, L.; Legrand, M.; Arnaud-Crozat, E.
Archives des Maladies du Coeur et des Vaisseaux 83(12): 1859-1862
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-9683 PMID: 2125197 Document Number: 348719
The authors report a case of cardiac arrest occurring in a patient who had just entered the catheter laboratory for coronary angioplasty. Opacification of the left coronary artery revealed a proximal occluding double spasm unrelated to the distal stenoses for which angioplasty had been requested. Resuscitation and antispastic therapy with intracoronary injection of a nitrate derivative resulted in a complete recovery without any sequellae. The role of coronary spasm in sudden death and the value of the ergometrine test in patients with coronary stenosis are discussed.