A focus on the prognosis and management of ischemic heart disease in patients without evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease

Abstract

Ischemic heart disease without evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease is a common phenotype comprising different coronary syndromes with either stable or unstable clinical presentation. In this context, the clinical outcome and management appear extremely variable, due to different etiologies. Of note, coronary microvascular dysfunction is the pathogenetic mechanism linking different clinical scenarios in most of the cases. Hence, in this article, we aim to provide a systematic approach of reviewing the prognosis and management of angina or myocardial infarction without evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease. Moreover, we will propose a new scheme of classification by distinguishing between angina with normal coronary artery and myocardial infarction with normal coronary artery in order to facilitate clinicians to perform a proper management workflow.