Coronary plaque quantification and fractional flow reserve by coronary computed tomography angiography identify ischaemia-causing lesions.

Aims: Coronary plaque characteristics are associated with ischaemia. Differences in plaque volumes and composition may explain the discordance between coronary stenosis severity and ischaemia. We evaluated the association between coronary stenosis severity, plaque characteristics, coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT), and lesion-specific ischaemia identified by FFR in a substudy of the NXT trial (Analysis of Coronary Blood Flow Using CT Angiography: Next Steps).

[Frovatriptan possibly causing acute myocardial infarction].

Globally migraine affects more than 10% of the adult population and it is treated with simple analgesics, combined with a triptan for a stronger treatment effect. Triptans cause arterial vasoconstriction, and this is a case report of vasospasm-induced acute myocardial infarction in a 61-year-old woman with frequent episodic migraine attacks treated with triptans. She was possibly also suffering from medication overuse headache.

Pre-hospital evaluation of electrocardiographic grade 3 ischemia predicts infarct progression and final infarct size in ST elevation myocardial infarction patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: In STEMI, grade-3 ischemia (G3) on admission ECG predicts larger infarct size (IS) than grade-2 (G2). We evaluated whether pre-hospital G3 and its temporal behavior are associated with IS and salvage after pPCI.

Methods: In 401 STEMI patients, pre-hospital and pre-PCI ECGs were classified as G3 or G2.

Measuring myocardial salvage.

The efficacy of cardioprotective strategies can be quantified by myocardial salvage as an indicator of therapeutic benefit. Salvage is calculated as the difference between the area at risk (AAR) and the final infarct size (FIS). AAR has been quantified by angiographic assessment followed by quantification of FIS by biochemical ischaemic markers or imaging modalities such as cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).

Prevalence and significance of accelerated idioventricular rhythm in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR) has been considered a marker of successful reperfusion in fibrinolytic-treated patients. Evidence is limited regarding its significance in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence and associated outcomes of arrhythmias and conduction disturbances occurring during PPCI.

Significance of T-wave amplitude and dynamics at the time of reperfusion in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Peri-interventional T-wave changes may reflect the microvascular reperfusion status and potentially carry early independent, prognostic information in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: The first available electrocardiogram (ECG) (index ECG) and the ECG recorded immediately post-PCI were analyzed for T-wave morphology in 207 patients with STEMI. Absolute T-wave amplitude was recorded and any change in T-wave amplitude from index ECG to post-PCI ECG was calculated.

ST changes before and during primary percutaneous coronary intervention predict final infarct size in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: In patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), spontaneous ST resolution (spontSTR) is a marker of successful microvascular reperfusion. The significance of increase in ST elevation during reperfusion therapy (the ST peak phenomenon), however, is controversial.

Aims: The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether preprocedural and periprocedural ST changes predict final infarct size (IS) in STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (primary PCI).