[Microvascular angina (syndrome X). Presentation of 4 cases].

OBJECTIVE

To revise diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutive specifications of Microvascular Angina. To improve the knowledge about this syndrome among family doctors.

DESIGN

Descriptive and transversal study.

SETTING

Outpatients belonging to a Primary Care Centre in the metropolitan area of Madrid.

PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS

Four patients (2 male and 2 female) aged over 50, diagnosed to have Microvascular Angina.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The clinical histories of the patients diagnosed to have Microvascular Angina were used. This syndrome was defined as a typical chest pain starting by an effort, normal electrocardiogram, ischemic ST-segment depression in exercise stress test and angiographically normal coronary arteries. The clinical and electrocardiographic specifications were similar in four cases. A positive exercise stress test and the existence of normal coronary arteries was confirmed in all the patients. All of them were treated with betablokers and/or calcium channel blokers with an effective response in three of them.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important to know the existence of Microvascular Angina in Primary Care, first because it is one cause of chest pain and second because it has a good prognosis with few complications in the future.