Valenzuela Has Impaired Blood Flow to Heart

An angiogram performed Tuesday on Angel pitcher Fernando Valenzuela determined that he has a rare condition that restricts blood flow to the heart.

Dr. Larry Santora, who oversaw the procedure at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, said the outlook for Valenzuela is favorable despite what he termed myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending artery. He said that Valenzuela might pitch again in a few weeks if he responds to medication.

“We did find that one artery, when the heart contracts, would be crimped,” Santora said. “It’s probably a small bend in the muscle that overlies the heart in that area. . . .

“Most people that have the condition get along quite well. Pitchers usually don’t reach the heart rates you do on a treadmill.”

Santora said he found no evidence of hardening of the arteries leading to the left-hander’s heart. Valenzuela will be treated with a mild beta blocker, which he said is intended to “decrease the heart rate at high levels of exercise so the heart muscle doesn’t squeeze as forcefully around the artery.”

Santora also said that while the beta blocker is the same type of medication given to Loyola Marymount basketball player Hank Gathers, the two athletes’ conditions are in no way alike. Gathers collapsed and died during a game in February of 1990.

“Hank Gathers had problems with abnormal heart rhythm, but Frank doesn’t have any heart rhythm symptoms,” Santora said. “It’s a whole different problem.”

Santora said the angiogram was performed because Valenzuela’s response to a treadmill test last week was “markedly different” from one taken in 1990 when Valenzuela was with the Dodgers.

“I’m encouraged. I have to be encouraged, certainly more so than I was a week ago,” said Dan O’Brien, Angel senior vice president.

Valenzuela, 30, is 0-2 in two starts with a 12.15 earned-run average. After being released by the Dodgers in late March, the Angels signed him to a minor league contract in May. He made three minor league starts before making his Angel debut June 7 in a 5-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers.