Myocardial bridges: Overview of diagnosis and management

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Pediatric Cardiology

Background:

• Myocardial bridges are segments of coronary arteries with an intramyocardial course, deviating from the typical epicardial path.
• Often considered benign anatomical variants, myocardial bridges can manifest clinically.
• Symptomatic myocardial bridges may present with unexplained exertional chest pain, necessitating further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of symptomatic myocardial bridges.
• To describe the prevalence, clinical presentation, classification, and diagnostic evaluation of myocardial bridges.
• To outline current management strategies for affected children and adults.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on myocardial bridges.
• Analysis of clinical data regarding prevalence and presentation.
• Synthesis of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Main Results:

• Myocardial bridges occur with varying prevalence across different populations.
• Symptomatic patients may experience exertional chest pain, particularly when the bridge causes dynamic obstruction.
• A range of diagnostic tools can be employed for evaluation, including non-invasive and invasive methods.

Conclusions:

• Symptomatic myocardial bridges require individualized assessment and management.
• Medical and surgical interventions can be beneficial for patients with significant symptoms.
• This review consolidates current knowledge to guide clinical practice for myocardial bridges.