Management of variant angina and coronary spasm.

When a patient's coronary arteries are anatomically normal, variant angina probably results from transient spasm that narrows and occludes a coronary artery; medical treatment is usually advised. But this distinctive type of pain can also occur in conjunction with atherosclerotic disease, in which case bypass surgery may prove highly effective in relieving symptoms and averting the risk of myocardial infarction.