A case of myocardial bridging of the left circumflex coronary artery

Cemal Tuncer1, Gülizar Sökmen, Gürkan Acar

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Medicine Faculty of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey.

Insights

Myocardial bridges are rare in the circumflex artery. This case study details a 63-year-old man with chest pain caused by a myocardial bridge affecting his circumflex artery, successfully managed with medication.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Surgery
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Myocardial bridging involves myocardial fibers compressing epicardial coronary arteries.
  • It most commonly affects the left anterior descending artery.
  • Myocardial bridging of the left circumflex artery is exceptionally rare.

Observation:

  • A 63-year-old male presented with chest pain and abnormal ECG findings.
  • Treadmill testing showed significant lateral ST and T wave changes.
  • Coronary angiography revealed systolic narrowing of the mid-circumflex artery, indicative of a myocardial bridge.

Findings:

  • The patient was diagnosed with a myocardial bridge affecting the left circumflex artery.
  • The condition presented as significant systolic narrowing of the artery.
  • No recurrent chest pain was reported during eight months of follow-up.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering myocardial bridging in atypical coronary artery presentations.
  • Conservative management with beta-blockers can be effective for symptomatic myocardial bridging.
  • Further research into the prevalence and management of circumflex artery myocardial bridges is warranted.

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