Rapid relief of spontaneous angina by intraventricular diltiazem: systemic and regional coronary haemodynamic determinants.

The authors describe a case of spontaneous angina during catheterization in a patient with left anterior descending and circumflex stenosis promptly relieved by diltiazem, 10 mg, given in the left ventricle. Coronary and systemic haemodynamics measured during and at the end of angina demonstrated an increase in blood flow to the ischaemic myocardium as the mechanism responsible for the diltiazem-induced angina relief.