MICROVASCULAR ANGINA: ETIOLOGY, CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS, AND DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACH

Microvascular angina (MVA) is one of the common clinical manifestations of myocardial ischemia in the absence of hemodynamically significant stenosis of the epicardial coronary arteries. According to contemporary studies, MVA is identified in approximately 20–30% of patients referred for coronary angiography because of typical anginal symptoms and is more frequently diagnosed in women, particularly during the postmenopausal period. Delayed diagnosis of this condition may contribute to the persistence of symptoms, deterioration in quality of life, increased risk of cardiovascular complications, and recurrent hospitalizations