Coronary artery-left ventricular microfistulae associated with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

A 58 year-old Caucasian man was admitted to the coronary care unit with angina pectoris. There were deep inverted T waves and ST segment depression at anterior precordial derivations. Coronary angiography revealed widespread coronary artery to left ventricular microfistulae arising from distal portions of both left and right coronary systems. Left ventriculography and transthoracic echocardiography revealed typical features of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Angina pectoris was alleviated by beta-blocker therapy. Both multiple coronary artery to left ventricular microfistulae and apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are rare conditions and little is known about pathophysiological and clinical aspects of this combination. Accumulating evidence will provide us this information so that the management of the patients will be enhanced. (Cardiol J 2011; 18, 3: 307–309