Nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) may be diagnosed when a patient complains of chest pain but, unlike in typical obstructive coronary disease, shows little or no evidence of plaque blocking the arteries.
History
Nonobstructive CAD was once thought to be a benign condition, and patients were released with a diagnosis of nonspecific chest pain. It is now known that having nonobstructive CAD puts patients at higher risk of developing future heart conditions.
Features
Nonobstructive CAD manifests symptoms of chronic, stable angina (predictable chest pain with stress or exertion), but normal or near-normal angiogram results, indicating unobstructed blood flow in the arteries that lead to the heart.
Significance
Even with no blockage in the arteries, patients with nonobstructive CAD and angina pain are at risk of recurring coronary events such as myocardial infarction (heart attack) and death from heart attack.
Considerations
At least 20 percent of women diagnosed with nonobstructive CAD still have some narrowing of the arteries thought to be due to a dysfunction of the lining of the artery walls, according to researchers at the University of Bologna's Department of Internal Medicine.
Misconceptions
Nonobstructive CAD is often viewed as a women's form of heart disease because it is found more often in women, but men can also develop this condition.
