ANGIOSCOPY IN VARIANT ANGINA - CORONARY-ARTERY SPASM AND INTIMAL INJURY

Studies in pigs and dogs show that intimal injury is related to corona ry artery spasm; it is not known whether intimal injury is related to coronary artery spasm in human beings. We examined intima at the site of coronary artery spasm by percutaneous transluminal coronary angiosc opy in 10 of 13 consecutive patients with variant angina. Coronary art ery spasms occurred spontaneously or were induced by intracoronary ace tylcholine (10-100 mug). Angioscopy showed intimal injuries (haemorrha ge, flap, thrombus, or ulcer) in 4 of the 10. We suggest that intimal injury is related to coronary artery spasm in human beings.