AIMS The pathophysiological mechanism in cardiac syndrome-X (anginal chest pain, positive exercise test, and angiographically normal coronary arteries) has been suggested as an impairment in normal endothelial function of the coronary microvasculature, resulting in inadequate flow reserve. The aim of this study was to determine whether statins with proven beneficial effects on endothelium, have...

Insulin resistance is common in patients with angina pectoris, a positive exercise electrocardiogram, and normal coronary angiograms (syndrome X). It is still not known whether insulin resistance affects the cardiac muscle itself and, if so, whether insulin resistance involves myocardial hemodynamics and energy metabolism. We investigated hemodynamics as well as metabolite exchanges across the ...

Twenty three patients with fragile X syndrome underwent cardiovascular assessment. Echocardiography showed dilatation of the aortic root in 12 (52%) and mitral valve prolapse in five (22%), four of whom had an apical mid-systolic click on auscultation. Patients with fragile X syndrome have cardiac defects similar to those seen in other disorders of connective tissue such as Marfan's syndrome an...

AIMS To assess platelet aggregability at rest and in response to exercise in patients with cardiac syndrome X (anginal chest pain, ST-segment depression on exercise, angiographically normal coronary arteries). METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a symptom/sign-limited exercise test in 31 patients with syndrome X, 25 patients with coronary artery disease and 29 healthy subjects. Platelet aggregab...

The term Cardiac Syndrome X (CSX) describes patients presenting with typical exertional chest pain suggestive of myocardial ischemia, a positive exercise stress test result, and angiographically normal epicardial coronary arteries. CSX is more prevalent in women than in men, and the vast majority of women with CSX are peri or post-menopausal. Thus, oestrogen deficiency has been postulated to ha...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine whether a diminished cardiac pain threshold contributes to chest pain in patients with syndrome X. BACKGROUND There have been some reports of an altered pain perception in syndrome X. METHODS Intracardiac catheter manipulation was performed in four groups of patients (syndrome X [group 1, 36 patients]; mitral valve disease and normal cor...