HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Pankaj Kumar Mishra Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mishra, P. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mishra, P. K. Related Collections Cardiac - other Myocardial infarction

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2006;29:748-759
© 2006 Elsevier Science NL

Review

Variations in presentation and various options in management of variant angina

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 16 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow G31 2ER, United Kingdom

Received 12 November 2005; received in revised form 18 January 2006; accepted 20 January 2006.

^_* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 141 2114731/5645206; fax: +44 141 5520987/2114845. (Email: mishrapk_25{at}yahoo.com).

Patients with variant angina represent a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Variant angina is a disease with various causes, variations in treatment guidelines and variable prognosis. In an era of robotic cardiac surgery and automatic cardioverter defibrillators, it is regrettable that we lack enough information on the optimal management of this entity. Lack of randomised trials and a tendency for spontaneous remissions makes interpretation of results difficult. We review the pathophysiology, presentation and recent developments in medical and surgical management of variant angina. Literature is full of conflicting data and it is difficult to make specific recommendations.

Key Words: Variant angina • Coronary spasm • Calcium antagonists • Plexectomy