Chest pain and angiographically normal coronary arteries. Implications for treatment.

Approximately 20% to 30% of patients who undergo coronary arteriography for the evaluation of chest pain are found to have normal coronary arteries. These patients have a survival rate comparable to that of the normal population, yet they continue to complain of symptoms on extended follow-up, and about half of this group are disabled on account of chest pain. Once other clinically obvious disorders have been ruled out, common diagnostic considerations include microvascular angina, esophageal dysfunction, and perhaps fibromyalgia. Panic disorder, however, is the most common condition affecting these patients and can be diagnosed in at least one third of the group, with or without the presence of the other conditions mentioned. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment can reduce the psychosocial morbidity so frequently seen in these patients.