Recurrent cardiac arrest due to electro-mechanical dissociation in a patient with variant angina -- a case report

We present a case of a 44-year-old male with recurrent episodes of cardiac arrest in the course of Prinzmetal's angina. Episodes of variant angina can be life threatening due to episodes of advanced atrioventricular block, asystole, ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. It has been suggested to implant an ICD in all patients with variant angina after cardiac arrest. This patient received an ICD, however, he died suddenly 6 months later. The possible mechanism of cardiac arrest was an electromechanical dissociation.