Myocardial Infarction with Normal Coronary Arteries: The Pathologic and Clinical Perspectives

Angiology ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 299-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aung Tun ◽  
Ijaz A. Khan

Myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries is a syndrome resulting from numerous conditions but the exact cause in a majority of the patients remains unknown. Cigarette smokers and cocaine users are more prone to develop this condition. The possible mechanisms causing myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries are hypercoagulable states, coronary embolism, an imbalance between oxygen demand and supply, intense sympathetic stimulation, non-atherosclerotic coronary diseases, coronary trauma, coronary vasospasm, coronary thrombosis, and endothelial dysfunction. It primarily affects younger individuals, and the clinical presentation is similar to that of myocardial infarction with coronary atherosclerosis. Thrombolytics, aspirin, nitrates, and beta blockers should be instituted as a standard therapy for acute myocardial infarction. Once normal coronary arteries are identified on subsequent angiography, the calcium channel blockers could be added since coronary vasospasm appears to play a major role in the pathophysiology of this condition. The beta blockers should be avoided in cocaine-induced myocardial infarction because the coronary spasm may worsen. In myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries, complications such as malignant arrhythmia, heart failure, and hypotension are generally less common, and prognosis is usually good. Recurrent infarction, postinfarction angina, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death are rare. Stress electrocardiography and imaging studies are not useful prognostic tests and long- term survival mainly depends on the residual left ventricular function, which is usually good.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Basma Ataallah ◽  
Barjinder Buttar ◽  
Georgia Kulina ◽  
Alan Kaell

Abstract Background: Coronary artery vasospasm-induced myocardial infarction is a rare cardiac complication of untreated thyrotoxicosis. Diagnosis is difficult due to the transient and unpredictable occurrence of coronary spasm [1]. Clinical Case: A 47-year-old Hispanic female smoker presented with a one-week history of severe, intermittent substernal chest pain radiating to the left arm. The pain was associated with palpitations and shortness of breath. She was afebrile with a heart rate of 100, a blood pressure of 119/59, a fine tremor, and brisk reflexes. No lid lag or proptosis was appreciated. The thyroid was enlarged, non-tender, without palpable nodules. ECG showed T- Wave Inversions in leads V1-V2 and ST depressions in V4-V5. Chest pain was relieved by SL nitroglycerin. Lab results showed a peak Troponin of 0.20 (N < 0.06), TSH 0.01 mU/L (N > 0.45mU/L), free T4 5.54 (N < 1.46 ng/dl), total T3 4.50 pg/mL (N < 1.37 ng/mL), free T3 21.0 ng/mL (N < 4.4 pg/ml), TSI 3.61 IU/L (N < 0.55 IU/L), thyrotropin R Ab 7.47 IU/L (N < 1.75 IU/L) and thyroglobulin Ab 1.3 IU/ml (ULN < 0.9 IU/ml). Thyroid US showed a heterogeneous enlarged thyroid gland with increased vascularity. For her NSTEMI she was treated with a heparin drip, aspirin, clopidogrel, atorvastatin, propranolol, and isosorbide mononitrate. Methimazole was started to treat thyrotoxicosis. Cardiac catheterization revealed coronary vasospasm without evidence of valvular or coronary artery disease. Methimazole restored euthyroidism and she has not had recurrence of angina. Discussion: Rarely, hyperthyroidism can present with transient myocardial ischemia secondary to coronary artery vasospasm in patients with normal coronary arteries. The etiopathogenesis is unclear and may relate to a direct metabolic effect of excess thyroid hormone on the myocardium. In a Korean study evaluating chest pain in patients who underwent coronary angiography, the incidence of coronary vasospasm was 5%, occurring most frequently in women under 50 years of age with thyrotoxicosis [2]. Conclusion: Patients who present with angina and are thyrotoxic should be evaluated for vasospasm. Females under 50 years old with Graves’ disease are at highest risk. Treatment includes antithyroid medications along with nitroglycerin, and we can consider calcium channel blockers including diltiazem. Treatment of thyrotoxicosis eliminates recurrence of vasospasm [3]. References 1. Chudleigh RA, Davies JS: Grave’s thyrotoxicosis and coronary artery spasm. Postgrad Med J. 2007, 83(985):e1-e2. 2. Zheng W, Zhang YJ, Li SY, et al: Painless thyroiditis-induced acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries. Am J Emerg Med. 2015, 33:5-10. 3. Marah N, Bryant K, Haq S, Khan M: Graves’ disease-induced coronary vasospasm. JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. 2016, 9(23):2452-2453.


Circulation ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 1147-1150 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Benacerraf ◽  
J M Scholl ◽  
F Achard ◽  
M Tonnelier ◽  
G Lavergne

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Andersson ◽  
T E Christensen ◽  
K Ahtarovski ◽  
T Rasmussen ◽  
A Ghotbi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Patients with suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and normal coronary arteries comprise a heterogeneous group with various underlying causes of disease. Purpose To study pathophysiology and underlying diagnoses in patients with suspected STEMI and normal coronary arteries using multimodal cardiac imaging. Methods We consecutively included patients with suspected STEMI, normal coronary arteries on acute coronary angiography, and elevated troponin T levels at a tertiary heart center (2012–14). Patients were examined with echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and 13NH3/82Rb and 18F-FDG positron emission tomography within one week from symptom onset. Results We included 42 patients (60% male, median age 58 (IQR 50–65) years. Median troponin T levels were 783 (IQR 566–1208) ng/l. Multimodal cardiac imaging findings are presented in Table 1. Multimodal cardiac imaging showed signs of cardiac involvement in all but one patient (98%). Underlying diagnoses were acute myocardial infarction (36%), Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (29%), perimyocarditis (10%), and cardiomyopathy (7%). The diagnosis was unclear in 19% of patients. Echocardiography   Left ventricular ejection fraction <40%, n (%) 12 (29)   Moderate to severe left ventricular hypertrophy, n (%) 3 (7)   Moderate to severe valvular disease, n (%) 3 (7)   Pericardial effusion, n (%) 5 (12)   Apical thrombus, n (%) 1 (2) Magnetic resonance imaging   Left ventricular end diastolic volume, ml (IQR) 157 (125–185)   Left ventricular end systolic volume, ml (IQR) 75 (63–88)   Left ventricular stroke volume, ml (IQR) 73 (57–93)   Edema, n (%) 38 (91)   Late gadolinium enhancement, n (%) 22 (52) 13NH3/82Rb and 18F-FDG positron emission computer tomography   Myocardial perfusion defect, n (%) 29 (69)   Myocardial perfusion-metabolism mismatch, n (%) 12/30 (40)   Reduced myocardial viability, n (%) 6/30 (20) Conclusion The majority of patients with suspected STEMI and normal coronary arteries had signs of cardiac involvement by multimodal cardiac imaging and were diagnosed with cardiac disease. Acknowledgement/Funding The Danish Heart Foundation, the A.P. Møller Foundation, the Foundation of Reinholdt W. Jorck and Wife, Rigshospitalet's Research Foundation


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 117954682110066
Author(s):  
Hussain Alzayer ◽  
Ahmad Alshatti ◽  
Akeel Alali

The distinction between cardiac aneurysms and diverticula can be very difficult by angiography. Left ventricular (LV) aneurysms usually occur following transmural myocardial infarction. On the other hand, cardiac diverticula are most commonly congenital. They are commonly detected by cardiac CT with a prevalence of 2.2%. Here we present a case of a 60-year-old male with the incidental finding of multiple LV aneurysms masquerading as diverticula in the setting of myocardial infarction with near normal coronary arteries. Moreover, this case highlights the limitation of coronary angiography in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction with no obstructive atherosclerosis (MINOCA).


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-139
Author(s):  
Erzsébet Lázár ◽  
Lehel Bordi ◽  
István Benedek ◽  
Monica Chițu ◽  
Zsuzsanna Suciu ◽  
...  

AbstractDespite of numerous treatment strategies developed in the last years, ischemic heart disease remains the leading cause of death around the world. Acute myocardial infarction (MI) causes irreversible destruction to the myocardial tissue, which is replaced by fibroblast cells, leading to the formation of a dense, collagenous scar, a non-contractile tissue, and often to heart failure. Stem cell therapy seems to represent the next therapeutic method for the treatment of heart failure caused by myocardial infarction. Several international trials proved the beneficial outcome of the intracoronary infusion of bone marrow-derived stem cells, improving left ventricular systolic function and clinical symptomatology. Many noninvasive imaging procedures are available to evaluate the beneficial properties of stem cell therapy. Most studies have demonstrated the role of multislice computed tomography (MSCT) in evaluating left ventricular parameters such as end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and ejection fraction, or to quantify myocardial scar tissue. In this review we will discuss the usefulness of MSCT for the assessment of coronary arteries, new tissue regeneration, and evaluation of tissue changes and their functional consequences in subjects undergoing stem cell treatment following MI.


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