Variant angina: a nursing approach.

Variant angina presents as an atypical form of angina caused by coronary artery spasm. Due to the sudden disruption of blood and oxygen supply to the myocardium, a number of severe hemodynamic changes may occur, including life-threatening dysrhythmias, and left ventricular dysfunction. Rapid intervention can alleviate the symptoms caused by the arterial spasm and prevent catastrophic results. The critical care nurse plays a vital role in the diagnosis of variant angina and rapid treatment of the patient.