Eventual role of myocardial muscular «bridges» in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome

Abstract

Aim of the study was to investigate the role of myocardial muscular «bridges» (MMB) in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Material and methods. The study comprised of 27 patents with ACS: 21 (77,8 %) with diagnosed unstable angina pectoris (UA) and 6 (22,2 %) with acute anterior myocardial infarction with ST elevation (STEMI). Results. All patients with STEMI had positive qualitative troponin test. The serum level of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) was 857.7 ± 495.5 U/l, the CPK MB level was 46.5 ± 42.4 U/l. The patients’ age varied from 32 to 68 years (on average, 52.4 ± 4.6 years). Selective coronary angiography (CAG) revealed systolic functional obstruction of the LAD with vessel’s lumen recovery to the norm during diastole in all 27 patients, which is typical for MMB. In all cases with UA, the clinical aggravation was associated with ECG signs of transitory or permanent myocardial hypoxia in the territory supplied by the LAD, while the patients with STEMI had ECG, biochemical and EchoCG signs of myocardial damage and kinetics disturbances in the left ventricular areas supplied by the LAD. All patients underwent intravascular instrumental investigation. During in-hospital stage all patients received conservative therapy including β-adrenergic receptors or CA-channels blockers; ACE inhibitors; disaggregants. Upon 12 months all patients underwent repeated outpatient examination. In all cases, the conducted therapy resulted in the improvement of the patients’ condition. Conclusion. This study allows concluding that MMB play an essential role in the pathogenesis of ACS, including STEMI.

Keywords

• acute coronary syndrome
• acute myocardial infarction
• myocardial muscular «bridges»
• selective coronary angiography
• intravascular ultrasound investigation