[Right ventricular infarction: pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment]

Acute right ventricular ischemia accompanies 40-80% of cases of infero-posterior myocardial infarction. Approximately one half of these patients present with hemodynamic compromise consisting of acute right ventricular failure, clear lungs and low cardiac output in spite of preserved left ventricular systolic function. The ischemic right ventricle appears to be relatively resistant to infarction and has remarkable ability to recover. Right ventricular performance improves spontaneously even in the absence of reperfusion, however reperfusion enhances this recovery and improves the clinical course of right ventricular infarction.