ABSTRACT
Systemic sclerosis is a chronic, systemic disease that targets the skin, lungs, heart, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and musculoskeletal system. Prominent features are vascular damage, immune activation, and the deposition of extravascular matrix. Scleroderma heart disease manifests as myocardial fibrosis. Intermittent spasm of the blood vessels in patients with systemic sclerosis may result in contraction band necrosis, similar to the changes observed in myocardial infarction in patients with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Coronary vasospasm has been demonstrated during attacks of cold-induced Raynaud's disease. However, acute myocardial infarction associated with coronary vasospasm in patients with systemic sclerosis has not been reported. We describe a rare case of acute myocardial infarction due to coronary vasospasm associated with systemic sclerosis in a 43-year-old woman who presented with severe chest pain.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Blood Vessels , Chest Pain , Contracts , Coronary Artery Disease , Coronary Vasospasm , Fibrosis , Gastrointestinal Tract , Heart , Heart Diseases , Kidney , Lung , Musculoskeletal System , Myocardial Infarction , Necrosis , Raynaud Disease , Scleroderma, Systemic , Skin , SpasmABSTRACT
Felodipine is a calcium channel blocker that is used in the management of hypertension. Calcium channel blockers, along with phenytoin and cyclosporin, are implicated as a cause of gingival hyperplasia. Calcium channel blockers associated with this undesired side-effect include nifedipine, nicardipine, isradipine, amlodipine, felodipine, verapamil, and diltiazem. Several cases of adverse gingival hyperplasia related to felodipine have been reported since 1991, although no case has been reported in Korea. We report a case of gingival hyperplasia in a 55-year-old man on long-term felodipine.