Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease

Increasing left main coronary artery plaque burden was associated with long-term all-cause and cardiac mortality in patients who did not have revascularization, even if the lumen area was preserved, researchers reported.

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. — Observational studies show ischemia with no obstructive CAD is “common” among younger women, and several trials support both traditional and novel interventions to reduce risk, according to a speaker.

Most women with myocardial ischemia without obstructive CAD attending a dedicated women’s heart center received new or changed diagnoses and reported decreased chest pain and other improved outcomes at 1 year, researchers reported.

In a cohort of patients with ischemia and nonobstructive coronary arteries, nearly four of five had coronary endothelial dysfunction, researchers reported in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.

Diltiazem vs. placebo for coronary vasomotor dysfunction in patients with angina and nonobstructive CAD.

WASHINGTON — In the first randomized trial of a therapy for treatment of patients with angina and nonobstructive CAD, diltiazem did not improve coronary vasomotor dysfunction compared with placebo.

Patients with MI or ischemia without obstructive CAD are at elevated risk for poor CV outcomes and doctors need to pinpoint the cause of ischemia, according to a speaker.

Imaging study to determine mechanism in women with suspected MI but no obstructive CAD.

Among women with MI with nonobstructive coronary arteries, approximately 85% had potential mechanisms identified when they underwent coronary OCT and cardiac MRI, according to results of the HARP-MINOCA study.

CD34+ cell therapy in patients with coronary microvascular dysfunction improved coronary flow reserve in addition to angina class and symptoms at 6 months, according to data from the ESCaPE-CMD trial.