Left ventricular thrombus after acute myocardial infarction – case report and literature review

Abstract

Left ventricular (LV) thrombus is a complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), especially in patients with anterior AMI and persistent LV systolic dysfunction. Regardless of the progress in invasive AMI therapy, there are literature data showing the frequency of LV thrombi ranging from 2.7% to 19.2% in patients with anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). LV thrombi formation is associated with endothelial injury, blood stasis, and hypercoagulability. Early diagnosis using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is crucial. Prevention strategies involve assessing the risk factors and considering anticoagulant therapy in exceptional cases. Treatment involves anticoagulation for up to 6 months in combination with antiplatelet therapy. The study presents the current state of knowledge on LV thrombi, provided with a relevant case report as a practical guideline.

Keywords

• thrombus
• left ventricle
• magnetic resonance imaging
• anticoagulants
• echocardiography
• acute myocardial infarction