How Is Coronary Microvascular Disease Treated?

Women who have coronary microvascular disease (MVD) are mostly treated to control their risk factors for heart disease and symptoms. Treatments may include medicines such as:

• Statins to improve cholesterol levels

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta blockers to lower blood pressure and decrease the heart's workload

• Aspirin to help prevent blood clots or control inflammation

• Nitroglycerin to relax blood vessels, improve blood flow to the heart muscle, and treat chest pain (if this medicine has helped the patient with past symptoms)

Women diagnosed with coronary MVD who also have anemia may benefit from treatment for that condition, because anemia slows repair of damaged blood vessels.

Women who are diagnosed and treated for coronary MVD should be checked regularly by their doctors.

Research is ongoing to find the best treatments for coronary MVD.