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Published on: December 11, 2016
Chronic or Changeable Infarct Size after Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection
Gordana Krljanac1, Svetlana Apostolovic2, Zlatko Mehmedbegovic1
1University Clinical Center of Serbia, Cariology Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
Insights
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) can cause heart attacks and sudden death, often presenting as chest discomfort. Management involves prompt diagnosis and tailored treatments to minimize heart injury and predict outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
Background:
- Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an important cause of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and sudden cardiac death.
- SCAD presents with varied clinical symptoms, most commonly chest discomfort and elevated cardiac biomarkers, differing pathologically from Type 1 AMI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the diagnostic and therapeutic management of SCAD.
- To highlight the challenges in predicting SCAD recurrence and infarct scar size.
- To discuss therapeutic strategies and the role of multimodality imaging in assessing infarct size.
Main Methods:
- Case presentation of a 42-year-old woman with SCAD.
- Diagnostic processing including catheterization laboratory procedures.
- Review of therapeutic approaches and imaging modalities for SCAD management.
Main Results:
- Despite diagnostic and treatment efforts, myocardial injury occurred in the presented case.
- Catheterization laboratory provided initial diagnosis and management.
- Predicting SCAD recurrence and infarct size remains challenging.
Conclusions:
- Prompt diagnosis and management in the catheterization lab are crucial for SCAD.
- Therapeutic options range from conservative 'watch and wait' to revascularization.
- Multimodality imaging is valuable for assessing infarct size and guiding treatment in SCAD patients.
Abstract:
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) could be the cause of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and sudden cardiac death. Clinical presentations can vary considerably, but the most common is the elevation of cardiac biomarkers associated with chest discomfort. Different pathological etiology in comparison with Type 1 AMI is the underlying infarct size in this population. A 42-year-old previously healthy woman presented with SCAD. Detailed diagnostical processing and treatment which were performed could not prevent myocardial injury. The catheterization laboratory was the initial place for the establishment of a diagnosis and proper management. The management process can be very fast and sometimes additional imaging methods are necessary. Finding predictors of SCAD recurrence is challenging, as well as predictors of the resulting infarct scar size. Patients with recurrent clinical symptoms of chest pain, ST elevation, and complication represent a special group of interest. Therapeutic approaches for SCAD range from the "watch and wait" method to complete revascularization with the implantation of one or more stents or aortocoronary bypass grafting. The infarct size could be balanced through the correct therapeutical approach, and, proper multimodality imaging would be helpful in the assessment of infarct size.
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