Stress and the heart: new study targets women with hidden chest pain

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

CMD Group Inclusion Criteria: * Symptomatic postmenopausal women with chest pain * age≥45 years old * willing to undergo cardiac MIBG scan * willing to undergo mental stress testing * competent to give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Significant epicardial stenosis (defined by coronary stenosis ≥ 70% in any epicardial coronary artery or hemodynamically significant stenosis determined by fractional flow reserve) * Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤ 50%) * Heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction * Significant anemia or blood dyscrasia * Severe uncontrolled hypertension \>180/100 * Unable to lie flat for mental stress testing * Pre-menopausal * Pregnant * Pericarditis/myocarditis * History of percutaneous coronary intervention * Coronary artery bypass grafting * Acute myocardial infarction/acute coronary syndrome/unstable angina within 1 month * Significant valvular disease, including aortic or mitral stenosis * Sinus node dysfunction/pacemaker, 2nd or 3rd-degree atrioventricular block * Severe lung, renal, liver, or psychiatric illness * Current neoplasm * History of substance abuse * Acute illness such as infection in the previous 4 weeks * Life-expectancy less than 2 years * Unable to safely withdraw medications for mental stress testing * Significant psychiatric illness that precludes safe participation in the study * Conditions that preclude accurate or safe testing and patient refusal * Unable to consent Obstructive CAD (oCAD) Group Inclusion Criteria: * Symptomatic postmenopausal women with chest pain who have obstructive CAD in at least one epicardial coronary artery * willing to undergo cardiac MIBG scan * willing to undergo mental stress testing * competent to give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Significant epicardial stenosis (defined by coronary stenosis ≥ 70% in any epicardial coronary artery or hemodynamically significant stenosis determined by fractional flow reserve) * Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤ 50%) * Heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction * Significant anemia or blood dyscrasia * Severe uncontrolled hypertension \>180/100 * Unable to lie flat for mental stress testing * Pre-menopausal * Pregnant * Pericarditis/myocarditis * History of percutaneous coronary intervention * Coronary artery bypass grafting * Acute myocardial infarction/acute coronary syndrome/unstable angina within 1 month * Significant valvular disease, including aortic or mitral stenosis * Sinus node dysfunction/pacemaker, 2nd or 3rd-degree atrioventricular block * Severe lung, renal, liver, or psychiatric illness * Current neoplasm * History of substance abuse * Acute illness such as infection in the previous 4 weeks * Life expectancy is less than 2 years * Unable to safely withdraw medications for mental stress testing * Significant psychiatric illness that precludes safe participation in the study * Conditions that preclude accurate or safe testing and patient refusal * Unable to consent Asymptomatic Control Group Inclusion Criteria: * Asymptomatic postmenopausal women, age ≥ 45 years old * Healthy volunteer with no cardiac risk factors * No history or diagnosis of heart disease * Not on any cardiac medications * Normal maximal exercise treadmill stress testing (ETT) * Fully understanding and willing to undergo mental stress testing * Willing to sign the informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Significant epicardial stenosis (defined by coronary stenosis ≥ 70% in any epicardial coronary artery or hemodynamically significant stenosis determined by fractional flow reserve) * Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤ 50%) * Heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction * Significant anemia or blood dyscrasia * Severe uncontrolled hypertension \>180/100 * Unable to lie flat for mental stress testing * Pre-menopausal * Pregnant * Pericarditis/myocarditis * History of percutaneous coronary intervention * Coronary artery bypass grafting * Acute myocardial infarction/acute coronary syndrome/unstable angina within 1 month * Significant valvular disease, including aortic or mitral stenosis * Sinus node dysfunction/pacemaker, 2nd or 3rd-degree atrioventricular block * Severe lung, renal, liver, or psychiatric illness * Current neoplasm * History of substance abuse * Acute illness such as infection in the previous 4 weeks * Life expectancy is less than 2 years * Unable to safely withdraw medications for mental stress testing * Significant psychiatric illness that precludes safe participation in the study * Orthopedic limitation that will prevent ETT * LDL \>120 mg/dL * Fasting blood glucose \>95 mg/dL * Hypertension, defined as resting BP \>120/80 * Diabetes * Hyperlipidemia * Smoking * Conditions that preclude accurate or safe testing and patient refusal * Unable to consent