ST-elevation during head up tilt test: a challenging case in syncope unit

Abstract

A 65-year-old woman, during an elective head up tilt test, after the sublingual nitrate administration, experienced electrocardiogram alteration with ST elevation in the inferior leads, that returned normal when the patient was laid supine after few minutes. Serial cardiac markers were not elevated and coronary angiography revealed normal epicardial coronary arteries. Paradoxical vasospastic response to nitrates in vasospastic angina patients represents a rare but very challenging condition and the best therapeutic approach in this subgroup of patients remains unclear.

Keywords

• Head up tilt test
• ST-elevation
• electrocardiogram
• vasovagal syncope
• nitrates