TITLE:
Misdiagnosis of Angina Pectoris Due to Severe Coronary Artery Disease: An Anecdotal Case
AUTHORS:
Massimo Bolognesi, Diletta Bolognesi
KEYWORDS:
Misdiagnosis, Angina Pectoris, Coronary Artery Disease, Exercise Stress Testing, Athlete
JOURNAL NAME:
Case Reports in Clinical Medicine,
Vol.3 No.6,
June
5,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background: Misdiagnosis of angina pectoris is not
uncommon in athletes. Physicians can fail to make a correct clinical diagnosis
if they don’t have the skills and experience needed to recognize this disease.
Case Report: This case report describes an exertional angina misdiagnosis due
to a severe coronary artery disease in a 50-year-old male athlete initially
examined by both a general practitioner and a cardiologist. The athlete
subsequently underwent physical examination in a sports cardiology medicine center
where diagnosis of angina pectoris caused by severe mono-vessel coronary
artery disease was made, requiring an angioplasty with stenting. Conclusions: Although
most of the severe symptoms in a heart attack are hard to miss, sometimes in
athletes angina pectoris is not readily recognized. However, this is dangerous and can lead to the sudden
death of the athlete. Diagnosis must be timely and accurate, in order for the
patient to receive the best prognosis.